COMING off a stoppage loss at 42 years old, many fans presumed that they had seen the last of Zhilei Zhang in a professional ring, but the hard-hitting Chinese heavyweight has now dismissed the option of retirement and revealed his future plans.
Fan-favourite Zhang, 27-3-1 (22 KOs), has established himself as a threat to the top table in the heavyweight division, twice cracking what was then perceived as the granite chin of Joe Joyce before scoring a devastating knockout over Deontay Wilder.
However, February saw the much-loved lefty suffer a first career knockout defeat, as Agit Kabayel picked himself up off the canvas and halted the tiring ‘Big Bang’ with a body shot in round six of their clash for the WBC interim crown.
As a result, Zhang’s prospects of becoming China’s first heavyweight world champion have taken a significant hit, but the 2008 Olympic silver medallist explained on his YouTube channel that he hasn’t even thought about giving up on his dream.
“42 years old is not the end, it is the beginning of a new chapter,” he insisted. “I still have not lowered my fists.
“All of my last five or six fights have been at the top level against top opponents. I never pick and choose; others would normally do interim fights after a tough fight to adjust. All of them were [against fighters that are] younger than me, but I still pose a significant threat to them.
“I was 31 when I turned professional, and that is a typical age to consider retirement for most Chinese boxers. I am in my 40s now, but age is still just a number to me. I know that I have got what it takes to perform at the highest level, and my body is doing well.
“I have never thought about retirement. However, if there comes a day where my body does not function properly, then it would be my time to hang the gloves up.”
Having undergone surgery and rehab for an elbow injury since losing to Kabayel, Zhang went on to add that he plans to return to action before the end of this year, naming Anthony Joshua as a potential opponent.
“I hope to fight by the end of this year,” he said. “If [Anthony] Joshua is interested, I am in – wherever it is. This fight has been talked about for many years, but it never materialised. It would be great if we can make it happen this time around.
“My dream is unachieved as of yet. I am still chasing, I am still on route to being the best, to being a world champion. I am still one step away from that goal, but it takes a lot to get there.”
Like Zhang, ‘AJ’ will soon undergo elbow surgery and is expected to be sidelined until the end of the calendar, meaning that his and Zhang’s schedules could align perfectly for a showdown in late 2025.
