Follow live coverage of today’s heavyweight fight between Anthony Joshua and the former UFC world champion Francis Ngannou
Zhilei Zhang is about to face Joseph Parker in a showdown for the WBO interim heavyweight championship, in the fight before Anthony Joshua’s clash with Francis Ngannou.
Both contenders are currently enjoying something of a hot streak and a victory would thrust them into contention for the world title. Particularly as the championship belts are expected to fracture following Oleksandr Usyk’s anticipated unification bout against Tyson Fury later this year.
Zhang endured his maiden professional loss against Filip Hrgović in August 2022, yet he triumphed over Joe Joyce twice last year. And he has vowed to swiftly defeat former world champion Parker in their upcoming match.
He told Queensberry: “Their team will study my fights, and study the Hrgovic fight and the Jerry Forrest fight (a majority draw). They believe going into the second half of the fight, my conditioning will go down, and they will have the leverage to beat me on points.
“Even if that happens, I’ll beat him in deep water. I prefer to do it with Chinese speed. I don’t yet have the opportunity to go against the top two (Fury and Uzyk), but when that day comes, I’ll be beating them.”
CompuBox’s fight analysis: “At the halfway point of the fight, Vargas held a 59 to 30 advantage in power punches landed and a 40 to 13 advantage in body punches landed.
“After averaging 9.8 power punches landed over rounds 1-6, Vargas’s production dipped to 7.6 power punches landed in rounds 7-12. Ball out-landed Vargas 58 to 47 over rounds 7-12, in addition to knocking Vargas down in rounds eight and eleven.”
Manny Pacquiao has just spoken to Sky Sports and the boxing legend seems to think the mixed martial artist could upset his peer this evening!
“I love this fight because it’s going to be a good fight. Ngannou is a fighter, he’s very strong. And I back Ngannou,” he said.
“Joshua needs to defend well and to move around. He can’t stand there and go toe to toe.”
Pacquiao was also asked about his future in the sport. Earlier in the night, Conor Benn suggested he could take on the 45-year-old later this year.
“Yeah I’m working on it and I hope we can finalise it after this event and before I go back home,” Pacquiao added.
Rey Vargas has also just spoken to DAZN. Through the help of a translator, he has said he is happy to face Nick Ball in a rematch.
“Of course I did enough (to win),” he said. “I have character and I have courage. He had the crowd behind him.
“Fitness was an issue. And a year with no activity impacted my performance. But I got a draw even though I did not like the way they counted those knockdowns.
“But yes, of course I will give him a rematch.”
Frank Warren, Nick Ball’s promoter, is incandescent. He tells DAZN he’s certain the WBC will order an immediate rematch.
“He won the fight. We’re not crybabies. But he won the fight. Listen to the crowd,” Warren says.
“I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t understand it. He had him down twice. I’m sure the rematch will be ordered by the WBC.”
