When Deontay Wilder fights Zhilei Zhang live this weekend on DAZN, he wants to leave a lasting impression.
It’s a pivotal fight for both men when they square off on the Queensberry vs. Matchroom 5v5 programme in Riyadh.
Given that both Zhang and Wilder had just lost to Joseph Parker, either fighter’s boxing career could finish with a setback.
After Wilder’s defeat by Parker in December, he was criticised for not throwing his right hand with enough force, a trait that made him a formidable opponent in the heavyweight class.
But the former WBC champion wants to show off his knockout ability once more. At the final press conference on Thursday, he stated that he wanted to repeat Muhammad Ali’s famous 1965 knockout victory over Sonny Liston.
“I’m looking forward to proving I have still got what it takes, I have still got the juice,” Wilder stated.
“I’m going to be like Muhammad Ali did against Sonny Liston, I’m going to stand over his body like 65.”
As the captain of Team Matchroom for the event, Wilder will receive double the points awarded to him based on how he defeats Zhang on Saturday night.