Wilder, Zhang finalizing June 1 fight

Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang are in the final steps of agreeing on a June 1^st bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang are in the process of finalizing a deal for a June 1 fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, sources told ESPN. The heavyweight bout will take place on the undercard of the Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol undisputed title fight. Two monster punchers. pic.twitter.com/yPVaeHXOfC

— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) March 22, 2024

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The heavyweight fight between 2 of boxing’s most dangerous fighters will take place on the undercard of the Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol undisputed light heavyweight championship match.

Both fighters will enter the ring in desperate pursuit of a win to keep their positions in the heavyweight rankings. Wilder and Zhang each lost to Joseph Parker in Saudi Arabia. The ex-heavyweight titleholder defeated Wilder at the end of the past year.

Because of that defeat, the American didn’t face Anthony Joshua, who went to fight Francis Ngannou and brutally beat the former UFC fighter at the beginning of the month. Joseph also beat Zhang on the same card, where Joshua won in the main event vs. Ngannou.

The match between Deontay and Zhilei is planned 2 weeks after the bout between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18^th in Saudi Arabia.