Round 2: Zhang coming out slightly more aggressive this round as he walks Joyce down. Jab to the head, job to the body for Zhang. Joyce jabs the body. Zhang with a quick left hook body blow. Zhang lets a couple of left hands go, Joyce with good defense. Zhang lands a left and Joyce felt that one, Zhang follows him to the ropes. There’s a another left from Zhang, Joyce answers with a 1-2. Joyce looks for a combination, but Zhang blocks. Zhang headhunting as Joyce moves out of the way. He persists and Joyce eats a couple of hard lefts. Bell rings and Joyce might be grateful for it.
O.K. So how is it that Zhang, 40 years old and more than a decade into his pro career, is suddenly one of boxing’s best big men? For that you have to go to George, a fringe cruiserweight who retired in 2009. At the urging of his manager—Duva’s father, Lou—George decided to get into training. Lou invited George to a U.S.–China national team dual meet in New York and pointed out Zhang. “Watch this guy,” he told George. “He’s going to be heavyweight champ.”
Zhang takes on Joyce in a rematch at Wembley Arena on Saturday night. The fight could be a sellout in London and Lane is anticipating even more interest in China as the 40-year-old looks to close in on a shot at one of the division’s world champions.
Zhang’s wife, Jiang Huanhuan (蒋欢欢), is a retired starting pitcher for the Henan provincial softball team. They met in 1998, started dating in 2000, and married in December 2006. They have a son, born 2010. Zhang rarely visits his wife and son site in yahoo.com China due to problems re-entering the United States.
Zhilei Zhang laid one of the all-time great right hooks onto Joe Joyce’s chin in the opening minute of the third round. It was a hammer blow, a shot that no heavyweight fighter in the world could have withstood. And Joe Joyce collapsed under it’s weight.
In March 2021, it was announced that Jamie Foxx will star in, and also executive produce the official scripted series Tyson. The limited series will be directed by Antoine Fuqua and executive produced by Martin Scorsese.
George saw something different. Back in Jersey, George worked to fine-tune Zhang’s skills. Chin tucked lower. Hands held higher. “At the same time, not change him so much where he doesn’t know how to use his feet,” says George. “Because he’s actually really quick on his feet. But you guys don’t know yet. He has pretty good hand speed, but you guys are actually just noticing now.”
Zhang protecting up front and Parker looking for a power punch. Lead jab from Parker misses. Zhang lands well on the inside. Zhang is GASSED, but once again Parker can’t seem to cash in. This will be an interesting trio of scores from the judges.
“This is a great win,” said Parker, who entered the ring rated No. 4 by ESPN at heavyweight. “Zhang is a tough man, knocked me down twice. … I’m very happy. …. We have a rematch , so we’re gonna do it again.”
Round 2: Zhang coming out slightly more aggressive this round as he walks Joyce down. Jab to the head, job to the body for Zhang. Joyce jabs the body. Zhang with a quick left hook body blow. Zhang lets a couple of left hands go, Joyce with good defense. Zhang lands a left and Joyce felt that one, Zhang follows him to the ropes. There’s a another left from Zhang, Joyce answers with a 1-2. Joyce looks for a combination, but Zhang blocks. Zhang headhunting as Joyce moves out of the way. He persists and Joyce eats a couple of hard lefts. Bell rings and Joyce might be grateful for it.
Zhang, (25-1-1, 20 KOs), 39, who is based in New Jersey but from China, has put his career back on an upward trajectory after he lost a competitive points decision to Hrgovic in his previous outing last August.
Round 3: Zhang moves him around with easy. Wilder’s corner implored him to do something, saying they don’t want him to be a punching bag. For the first minute of this round he is. He’s just not punching. Zhang moves him to the corner, hits, Wilder moves away, and it happens again.
A member of various street gangs at an early age, Tyson was sent to reform school in upstate New York in 1978. At the reform school, social worker and boxing aficionado Bobby Stewart recognized his boxing potential and directed him to renowned trainer Cus D’Amato, who became his legal guardian. Tyson compiled a 24–3 record as an amateur and turned professional in 1985.
“This fight was easier than I had expected,” said Zhang who traveled from his US basecamp to challenge the 37-year-old Joyce with a stunning pro record of 15-win clean sweep. “I have been working so hard and now I get the reward.”
Joyce (15-1, 14 KOs), 37, from Putney in southwest London, never recovered after his right eye began to swell and close by the end of the first round from Zhang’s accurate left-hand punches at the Copper Box Arena, in east London.
Shortly after the Olympics, Dino Duva was invited to Beijing to consult for the Chinese Boxing Federation. In Zhang, he saw not just talent but unprecedented ambition. At the time, Chinese boxers didn’t turn pro. Few of the country’s athletes did. “When you’re a national athlete in China, you get treated very well,” says Duva. “You’re supported by the government. They support your family. They give you bonuses and pay you well. But if you decide to make the move to become professional, they cut you off.” Zhang, Duva says, wanted more.
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