Zhang_stops_Wilder picture Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
Plodding ahead and selecting his punches to the purpose of throwing practically nothing, Zhilei Zhang (27-2-1, 22 KOs) (43-4, 42 KOs) lastly caught and stopped former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder in spherical 5 at Kingdom Area in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Each massive males had been cautious from the get-go. Wilder jabbed and moved to his left. Southpaw Zhang, sixty kilos heavier, adopted him. Wilder, who made his title and received the heavyweight title on the power of his proper hand, was having issues throwing it. He’s the clean-up man who received’t swing. When he did fireplace the proper, it lacked conviction.
Zhang,41, related with an uppercut in spherical two. Wilder did as effectively however feared a counter from the hulking Zhang. Zhang labored somewhat downstairs in spherical three. Zhang snapped Wilder’s head again.
Earlier than spherical 4, Wilder’s coach, Malik Scott, advised his fighter. “To let the F###### proper go.” Wilder nodded. A minute into the spherical, he did simply that. It landed, however nothing occurred. Zhang countered. Wilder stored attempting.
He scored with two stable rights in spherical 5.
In spherical six, Wilder,38, let an enormous proper go once more, however Zhang beat him to the punch. His lead proper spun Wilder close to the ropes. Zhang moved in and related with one other proper hook that knocked Wilder flat on his again. He beat the depend, however the referee waved off the combat.
The time was 1:51 seconds into spherical six.
The combat was the principle occasion of the “5 vs 5” card between Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions and Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Promotions.
Daniel Dubois believes.
Beforehand undefeated, Filip Hrgovic discovered that being cocky doesn’t win fights.
Requested earlier than his combat with Dubois if he was nervous, Hrgovic mentioned no as a result of Dubois was no problem.
The cocky Ukrainian rapidly discovered how flawed he was. Dubois absorbed his finest punches and stopped him in spherical eight within the co-main of the “5 v 5” card Saturday evening.
Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs) was aggressive from the opening bell. So aggressive he couldn’t get out of the way in which of Hrgovic’s proper hand. Again and again, Hrgovic related. Dubois stored coming, ignoring the blows and pumping stiff jabs into Hrgovic’s face.
Hrgovic (17-1, 14 KOs) stored punching, and Dubois stored catching, however by spherical 5, Hrgovic, bleeding from a minimize close to his proper eye, regarded spent.
Dubois appeared to develop in power as his opponent weakened. Dubois got here out winging photographs in spherical seven.
A giant left damage the 6-foot-6 Hrgovic, who was additionally bleeding from one other minimize. He appeared in disbelief as Dubois, the fighter he known as weak, beat him up.
Dubois continued pounding on a reeling Hrgovic in spherical eight.
The referee stopped the motion in spherical eight and known as for the ringside physician to take a look at the cuts close to the eyes of Hrgovic. He suggested the referee to name the combat off.
The time was 57 seconds into spherical 8.
