Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed that he is open to a potential Anthony Joshua and Zhilei Zhang fight in China only with the right money proposal in China even though the focus is still on firming up a meeting between Joshua and Deontay Wilder.
The Chinese star was victorious over Joe Joyce on Saturday night with a third-round knockout over the British fighter which could possibly put an end to Joyce’s career as attention now turns to who the WBO interim champion would face next and Heard hasn’t dismissed the possibility of Zhang fighting Joshua.
Asked about a meeting of the two fighters, Hearn told iFL TV that it’s something that could happen, “yeah absolutely,” he said.
“AJ’s always fancied that fight. He beat him in the amateurs. It was a good fight. We want to make the Wilder fight, but Zhang is an easier fight. Why not?”
Hearn went on to confirm he’d be happy to do the fight in China because of ‘money talks’ or at Wembley although Joshua fought Zhang at the 2012 Olympics, beating the Chinaman 15-11 in the quarter-finals of the games on route to winning a gold medal at the event.
A decade on, there would be interest in another meeting between the pair, even if Hearn doesn’t believe that Zhang is an elite heavyweight at this current time.
“Zhilei Zhang is a good fighter. He’s not an elite heavyweight, in my opinion, but he’s a world-class heavyweight,” he added.
“When I say “Elite,” I’m talking about the top three, four, or five in the division. No, not really. I think there’s an argument he could creep into number five, but he’s a lovely man.”
While a fight with Joshua could be put in motion, it seems Zhang has his sights set on another Brit Tyson Fury.
