WATCH: “Went off into no man’s land” – Zhilei Zhang detonates Deontay Wilder with EPIC blink-and-miss shot; fans react

WBO interim heavyweight titleholder Zhilei Zhang dominantly defeats Deontay Wilder; Queensberry sweeps '5-vs-5' Event.

WATCH: “Went off into no man’s land” – Zhilei Zhang detonates Deontay Wilder with EPIC blink-and-miss shot; fans react

Deontay Wilder loses to Zhilei Zhang (Source: Instagram)

The ‘5 vs. 5’ Queensberry and Matchroom clash had its own cache of anticipation going on. Moreover, Deontay Wilder’s heavyweight main event with Zhilei Zhang jogged another layer of excitement. With what could have been his last dance, Wilder got wobbled hard and lost in the 5 vs. 5 pay-per-view card Saturday in Riyadh. Zhilei Zhang defeated Deontay Wilder via KO — Round 5 at the 1:51 mark.

Dmitry Bivol was set to meet fellow 175-pound titleholder Artur Beterbiev in the 5-vs-5 main event. But with Beterbiev incurring injuries in training, the show had to go on. Matchroom Boxing’s Wilder thus locked horns with the 41-year-old hard-puncher from China. It was a path for Wilder to return back to form. However, fate had other plans.

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Zhang and his rival mark the #1 and 3rd statistical top spots to throw the least shots. When they do land, it’s a whole other matter. Beginning as a southpaw, Zhang took the lead from the center. Left to the body, a few close-range thunderous shots, and Wilder kept retreating to the periphery. Wilder started Round 2 a little more stable than dispersing to corners. Yet, Zhang got him to the corner and tagged him!

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Uppercut, a left up-top, and it was clear who was dominant. Wilder came sixty pounds lighter than the opponent in the ceremonial weigh-ins. His thin frame from the torso down wasn’t a confidence-instilling subject either; it showed. He did come to live in Round 5 but covered up to a clinch in a reaction. A lead right hook hunted him down; Zhang jumped on him with another right and got it done!

Fans react to Zhilei Zhang grazing Deontay Wilder completely under five rounds

Speaking to DAZN Boxing (and Seconds Out Boxing), Wilder had acknowledged that a main event loss with Zhilei Zhang could be his last. Deontay Wilder entered 1-3 in his last four scraps. The 38-year-old suffered back-to-back KOs to lineal prodigy Tyson Fury. A lopsided decision setback against Joseph Parker followed it.

Zhilei Zhang shocks and grazes Deontay Wilder; fans react
Zhilei Zhang shocks and grazes Deontay Wilder; fans react (Source: ringtv.com/boxingnews24.com)

Zhilei Zhang, 27-2-1, 22 KOs, was also of a fresh loss to Parker. However, he wobbled the Kiwi twice and lost out by close scoring. Before that, he stopped Joe Joyce in consecutive outings. Now, he used up that momentum tactically, bombing ‘The Bronze Bomber’ hard in R5. Here’s how boxing fans have consequently reacted:

A close post-fight replay showed a blink-and-miss right and a follow-up that downed Deontay Wilder. The latter kept pawning off light shots and telegraphing to his right. His corner pleaded to come out aggressive with 1-2 or 2-3 close-range shots. However, he couldn’t willingly match the ‘Big Bang’ Zhang!

The Alabama native’s last win was a Round 1 stoppage of Robert Helenius in 2022. Defeating Zhang could have committed him to yet another title shot. However, now fans are calling for his retirement. A prime reaction (@SalesGoals) also quipped – “Went off into no man’s land.“

Many have also lauded Zhang as one of the most dangerous boxers if he keeps his foot on the pedal for the first five rounds. All in all, Wilder (43-4-1) has become quite viral and not in the best of sense.

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