Wilder Suffers Another Loss to Zhang in Saudi Arabia
Zhang Rocks Wilder with Right Hook, Wins by Fifth-Round Knockout
Wilder Energized by Early Right Hand, But Zhang's Power Proves Too Much
Deontay Wilder suffered another setback on Saturday in Saudi Arabia, as he was defeated by Zhilei Zhang in a fifth-round knockout. The 41-year-old Wilder started the fight strongly, landing a good right hand early and throwing several more. However, Zhang responded with a perfectly timed right hook that rocked Wilder, and the Chinese fighter followed up with another right hook that folded "The Bronze Bomber" to the canvas. Wilder barely beat the referee's count, but Zhang was relentless and secured the knockout moments later.
The loss is a major blow to Wilder's hopes of regaining a world title. It was also the second time that he has been knocked out in his last three fights, following his devastating loss to Tyson Fury in 2020. Zhang, meanwhile, has now won 24 of his 26 professional fights, with 20 of those victories coming by knockout.
The fight was part of the Queensberry vs Matchroom 5v5 card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It was a competitive event, with several close fights. However, Zhang's knockout of Wilder was the clear highlight of the evening.
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