Riyadh King of Boxing Unification Fight: Zhang Zhilei KO's American Heavyweight Champion Wilder in the Fifth Round

On the morning of June 2nd, Beijing time, during the King of Boxing Unification Fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Chinese heavyweight boxer Zhang Zhilei secured a career-defining victory by knocking out former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder in the fifth round.

The bout took place in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, and was billed as "Big Bang" (Zhang Zhilei's nickname) versus "The Bronze Bomber" (Wilder's nickname). In the pre-fight weigh-in, Zhang Zhilei tipped the scales at 282.2 pounds, while Deontay Wilder weighed in at 214.6 pounds, creating a weight difference of almost 68 pounds. This marked a new record, as Zhang Zhilei became the heaviest opponent Wilder has ever faced.
In the first four rounds of the match, Zhang Zhilei maintained dominance, pushing Wilder into corners and delivering several powerful punches. In the fifth round, Zhang evaded Wilder's heavy blows before landing a right hook to Wilder's face, causing him to stagger and retreat to a corner. Seizing the opportunity, Zhang pursued aggressively, landing a powerful right punch to Wilder's face from behind, knocking him down and securing a direct KO victory.
With Wilder knocked out, the originally scheduled 12-round bout came to an end after the fifth round, declaring Zhang Zhilei as the victor!