Top heavyweight contender Zhilei Zhang is looking for the biggest fights possible in the weight class.
Zhang is riding high after stunning the division earlier this month with a stoppage win over unbeaten Joe Joyce to capture the WBO’s interim-title.
Joyce has the scenario of exercising an immediate rematch clause.
If Joyce goes in that direction, Zhang would like the rematch to take place in China at the Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing.
“That’s where the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games was held. And it has also witnessed the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics. Two Olympics, you know. I wish the fight could be held there,” Zhang told CGTN Europe.
“[Joyce] has asked for the rematch, and asked for the date and the location. I actually don’t mind about the when and the where. Of course it would be the better if it could happen in China. So that the Chinese boxing fans can see a championship heavyweight fight.”
If Joyce decides to have an interim-fight to bounce back, then Zhang would like to step in the ring with someone like unified world champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Usyk has other obligations to handle first, like a mandatory defense against Daniel Dubois.
“Now I can challenge Usyk, so my next plan is, of course, to fight against him. My team have been talking with Usyk’s team about a date and venue of the competition. That needs a lot of negotiation,” Zhang said.
“I am very confident. My goal is to become the world boxing champion. Now I am only one step away from that goal, so I will train harder. I will make myself stronger and hope I can defeat Oleksandr Usyk to become the first [heavyweight] boxing champion in China’s or even Asia’s history.
“I like to challenge the strongest. As I said before the fight, only by defeating the strongest can one become stronger. And now, people probably think that I am not strong enough, because there are real boxing champions above me, like Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Although Joshua is not a champion now, he has mastered the sport and has ruled for many years. They’re all strong fighters. So I want to challenge any of them. In this way, I can gradually become stronger. I will show everyone, show to the world, to all boxing fans, Chinese power.”