RESULT: Zhilei Zhang def. Deontay Wilder by KO at 1:51 of Round 5
Deontay Wilder gets knocked out in the 5th round 😳 #5vs5
(via @BetMGM)
pic.twitter.com/L21WZIfCCo— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) June 2, 2024
In a fight between two knockout artists, Zhilei Zhang found home first, defeating former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder via KO in the fifth round.
Neither fighter looked very impressive all things considered, but it was an especially bad night for Wilder, who again looked tentative as the commentators speculated if his career was nearing its end. Both fighters seemed very aware of each other's power, but it was Zhang who was finding home.
Zhang clearly hurt Wilder in the second round, but couldn't finish it off. The ending came in surprising fashion, when an errant right hook left Wilder spinning, leaving him open to a brutal blow to the face from his opponent.
And that was it.
Deontay Wilder gets knocked out in the 5th round 😳 #5vs5
(via @BetMGM)
pic.twitter.com/L21WZIfCCo— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) June 2, 2024
This was a must-win match for both fighters, and that leaves Wilder in an unenviable position. The former WBC champion has now lost four of his last five matches and simply hasn't looked the same since losing to Tyson Fury. He openly discussed retirement in the run-up for this fight and that is looking very possible right now.
Meanwhile, Zhang gets to stay alive after stumbling in the aftermath of his two wins over Joe Joyce. He lost to Joseph Parker via majority decision in March, but has now notched another big win at the age of 41.
Zhang's win was part of a clean sweep for Queensberry in its 5v5 against Matchroom, winning $3 million in Riyadh. Here's how everything went down live:
Deontay Wilder gets knocked out in the 5th round 😳 #5vs5
(via @BetMGM)
pic.twitter.com/L21WZIfCCo— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) June 2, 2024
Heavyweight: Zhilei Zhang def. Deontay Wilder by KO at 1:51 of Round 5
Heavyweight: Daniel Dubois def. Filip Hrgovic by TKO at 0:57 of Round 8
Light heavyweight: Dmitry Bivol def. Malik Zinad by TKO at 2:06 of Round 6
Middleweight: Hamzah Sheeraz def. Austin Williams by TKO at 0:45 of Round 11
Featherweight: Nick Ball def. Ray Ford by split decision (115-113, 113-115, 115-113)
Light heavyweight: Willy Hutchinson def. Craig Richards by unanimous decision (116-112, 117-111, 119-109)
Telli Swift, who has a daughter with Wilder, claimed she was worried he would be violent when he returned from his fight against Zhilei Zhang.
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