Chinese heavyweight boxer Zhang Zhilei is targeting a blockbuster bout with Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua or Oleksandr Usyk in Beijing's Bird Nest stadium after defeating British contender Joe Joyce by knockout on Saturday night.
Zhilei headed into the bout at London's Copperbox Arena as a big underdog, but delivered a stunning display of power and timing to stop Joyce in the sixth round of the contest and win the WBO interim heavyweight title. The win means he's now mandatory challenger for Usyk's WBO belt.
Just hours after the biggest win of his career, Zhilei flew to Thailand to reflect on his success and begin plotting his next fight, with three of the heavyweight division's biggest names topping his hit list.
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Zhang Zhilei is the mandatory challenger to world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk's WBO belt after his win over Joe Joyce in London./ Andrew Couldridge/Reuters
"I am very confident," the 39-year-old told CGTN. "I like to challenge the strongest challengers - I can only become stronger by fighting and beating the best fighters. There are real boxing champions above me - Anthony Joshua, Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury are all strong fighters. I want to challenge any one of them. I will show the world Chinese power."
Zhilei celebrated his victory over Joyce by screaming those two words - 'Chinese power' towards the television cameras at ringside. It was a reaction that highlighted both his fierce patriotism and personal ambitions of etching his name into Asian sporting history.
He added: "My goal is to become the world boxing champion. Now I am only one step away from this goal, so I will work even harder and hope that I can defeat Usyk to become the first heavyweight world champion in Chinese or even Asian history."
When and where Zhang's next fight will take place is still uncertain. Joyce could yet activate a rematch clause - a fight that his promoter Francis Warren says could take place in China. Zhang says a second fight with the Brit or a world title fight in Beijing would be the stuff of dreams.
Zhlei put in a career best performance to stop Joyce and is now targeting a fight with Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua or Oleksandr Usyk in Beijing./ Andrew Couldridge/Reuters
"The Bird's Nest stadium is where the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics took place (a tournament in which Zhang won a silver medal) and it was also where the 2022 Winter Olympics opening ceremony took place - I'd love to have a fight there."
Zhang is also hopeful that his success provides the motivation for a generation of Chinese fighters to resume their careers after being forced to press pause on their sporting ambitions following the COVID pandemic.
"Over the past two or three years, our boxers may have changed careers and livelihoods because of the pandemic," he said.
"Now, with the reopening of the country, a lot of boxers are coming back and returning to training and fighting. I don't think they will have forgotten their original dream. I hope that one day boxing in China will blossom all over the country and all over the world."
Produced and directed by AJ Wood
Interview by Wang Qiwei
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