Following Zhilei Zhang’s statement win over Joe Joyce, talk has turned to who the big man from China might face next.
Zhang returned to London for his rematch with Joyce, finishing the Brit in half the time if took him first time around. A perfectly-timed right hook in the third sent Joyce to the canvas for the first time in his career.
Former super-middleweight champ, Carl Froch, has weighed in on how Joyce’s countryman, Anthony Joshua, would far against Zhang in the pro ranks. The pair previously met at the 2012 Olympics, with Joshua scoring a knockdown on his way to a points victory and the semi-finals.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Froch was confident that ‘the old AJ’ beats an ageing Zhang.
“What a great fight. I think that’s a close fight that could go either way. If the old AJ turns up.
The guy who beat Dillian Whyte, climbed off the canvas against Klitschko, beat Joseph Parker, Carlos Takam and looked good putting combination punches together with self-belief. I think that guy beats Zhilei Zhang, because Zhang’s [40] years old.”
Having said that, he believes that Joshua – who has underwhelmed in his last couple of outings after losing his world titles to Oleksandr Usyk – may not have it in him.
“Right now, I think that Zhang beats Anthony Joshua … Is that [the old AJ] there anymore? In my opinion no. Tony Bellew always says if Anthony Joshua’s forced to fight – if Deontay Wilder or Zhang comes for him – he will be forced to respond. That could be the case, and that would be interesting.”
Based off what he sees now, ‘The Cobra’ is siding with ‘Big Bang.’
“Great fight. I just think Zhang would be the favourite. Hopefully I’m wrong.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn says he would be open to the fight, but with a firm target of Deontay Wilder in the new year, it may be a risk too far for the former champion in the meantime.