In the WBO heavyweight transitional title fight, which ended this morning (April 16), Beijing time, Chinese fighter Zhang Zhilei won the WBO transitional title by TKO British fighter Joyce in the sixth round, once again creating the history of professional boxing in China. Zhang Zhilei also became the legal challenger to the official boxing king Usyk.
Zhang Zhilei shouted passionately after winning according to Visual China
"I won! Thank you to my coaches, thank you to my team, thank you to the Chinese fans, thank you to watching my matches in the middle of the night, thank you for their attention and support to me! Zhang Zhilei was very excited after the game, "The game was easier than I thought. Today is very, very happy, today is my stage, my show, I want everyone here, everyone in the world to see my power. Zhang Zhilei, who won silver at the Beijing Olympics and turned professional fighter in 2014, admitted, "Our training camp is very hard, very tired, but everything today (to make these hardships) worth it." ”
As the runner-up at the Rio Olympics, the 37-year-old Joyce won all 15 fights after turning professional, and was commented to have a "steel chin". However, Zhang Zhilei, nicknamed "Big Bang", took the initiative with his powerful heavy punches and quickly hit his opponent's right eye until he bleed. Subsequently, Joyce also tried to speed up and punch continuously, but was always hit by Zhang Zhilei's heavy punch after a few punches. The sixth round was not over yet, and the referee determined that Joyce's injury prevented him from continuing the fight, and Zhang Zhilei relied on technical knockouts to win the match. The veteran, who turns 40 next month, shouted excitedly in the ring.
Zhang Zhilei's opponent Joyce was swollen in his right eye, according to Visual China
At the moment of victory, Zhang Zhilei roared loudly and vented his emotions, and from 2014 to the professional boxing stage, he waited for 8 years, and struggled for 8 years, and at the age of about to turn 40, he finally won the first world belt of his own, which belongs to Chinese heavyweight boxing. After the game, the on-site host also specially asked Zhang Zhilei's age, and Zhang Zhilei responded, "I am self-disciplined, I work hard, and age is just a number for me." At the same time, Zhang Zhilei told the audience and the audience around the world that his road is not yet complete, "The next step is to challenge the world champion." Zhang Zhilei said that world boxing title is his ultimate dream on his career path, and now, he does not even plan to give himself more than a week off after a big victory for this dream, "because I don't want to waste time."
Zhang Zhilei punched out continuously
According to the rules, Zhang Zhilei, who won the WBO Transitional World Boxing Title, will have the right to forcibly challenge the official boxing champion Usyk, and if Usyk gives up the mandatory defense of the title, he will be deprived of the belt, and Zhang Zhilei will automatically obtain the World Champion title. It can be said that the current victory has raised Zhang Zhilei to a new height, and it is only the last step away from his ultimate dream - to become the world boxing title. And for Chinese boxing, it's a heart-wrenching day – we have the first World Heavyweight Transitional Champion and a Legal Challenger to the World Title.
Zhang Zhilei was born in 1983 and will turn 40 next month. In 2005, Zhang Zhilei won the National Games over 91 kg, and in 2008, at the age of 25, Zhang Zhilei won the silver medal in the men's boxing over 91 kg category at the Beijing Olympics. Then in 2014, 31-year-old Zhang Zhilei entered professional boxing. So far, Zhang Zhilei's record is 27 wins, 25 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss.
Edit Chengli Bao