Zhang didn’t come out of nowhere. The 40-year-old southpaw from China was a silver medalist in the 2008 Olympics and has been a consistent winner as a professional over the past decade. However, when he drew with limited Jerry Forrest in February 2021, he seemed to have hit his ceiling. Then, three fights later, he pushed rising contender Filip Hrgovic surprisingly hard last August to pump new life into his career as he approached 40. And now he has back-to-back knockout victories over once-top contender Joe Joyce, the latter a spectacular one-punch stoppage Saturday in Joyce’s hometown of London. Just like that he became a bona-fide contender for the titles of Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. Can he beat one of the champions? Probably not. His victories over Joyce were as much the result of Joyce’s limitations as Zhang’s ability. Fury and Usyk are a level above. At the same time Zhang (26-1-1, 21 KOs) is exactly where he wants to be: He has earned the right to fight for a major world title, which is the goal of every prize fighter. He deserves a great deal of credit.
BIGGEST LOSER
Joe Joyce
Joe Joyce couldn’t recover from a brutal right hook. Stephen Pond / Getty Images
Joyce, 38, said during the post-fight news conference that his decision to face Zhang in April was too big of a risk given that he was the WBO’s mandatory challenger to Usyk’s belt at the time. No it wasn’t. If Joyce was what he was supposed to be – a genuine threat to anyone – he should’ve defeated a fringe contender who drew with Forrest and lost to Hrgovic, southpaw stance or no southpaw stance. The fact is he isn’t what he was supposed to be. The 2016 Olympic silver medalist combined size and strength with some ability to win consistently against second-tier opposition to create an aura of formidability, perhaps peaking with a victory over past-his-best Joseph Parker last September. Then the peaking Zhang exposed his limitations – twice. Joyce is big and strong but he’s slow and his skills are solid at best, which isn’t good enough against the best in the division. Joyce mentioned former foe Daniel Dubois as a potential comeback opponent, which makes sense given that both are coming off KO losses. Retirement might be a better option if his goal remains to win a major title. That’s a long shot as things stand now.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Gifted 140-pound contender Richardson Hitchins’ victory over Jose Zepeda (37-4, 28 KOs) on Saturday night in Florida wasn’t thrilling but it was convincing. The 25-year-old New Yorker outclassed a rugged veteran in what was billed as his toughest test to date, winning a near shutout decision on national television. Good night’s work. Hitchins (17-0, 7 KOs) will be a difficult opponent for any of the top junior welterweights. … Conor Benn (22-0, 14 KOs) returned to the ring after 17 months away on the Hitchins-Zepeda card, defeating Rodolfo Orozco by a one-sided decision in a 10-round 154-pound fight. Benn shouldn’t have been allowed to fight, although it’s complicated. Benn tested positive for the banned substance clomifene ahead of his scheduled fight with Chris Eubank Jr. last fall, which led to his suspension. He was cleared by the U.K.’s National Anti-Doping Panel. However, that ruling was appealed by the British Boxing Board of Control and UK Anti-Doping, which seems to leave Benn’s case in limbo. Florida officials should’ve backed British officials. The top agencies must stick together to control cheating.
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