Talk about a tough fight to pick; talk about a fight that has so many possible outcomes. Deontay Wilder Vs. Zhilei Zhang: a fight with two careers on the line.
Yes, it could well be a case of a loser leaving town on Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Two big punchers, both coming off a defeat, and to the same guy, both badly needing the ‘W.’
Who wins, Wilder or Zhang, and, perhaps even more importantly, how? On the one hand, it’s not that hard to foresee both guys using utmost caution early, with neither man willing to commit. On the other hand, this one could see both guys come out of the blocks, letting the leather fly.
It’s not that hard to imagine both men going down, as it’s not too difficult to picture the winner, whoever it turns out to be, snatching victory in desperate fashion, this after being hurt.
Some people do actually see Saturday’s fight going the distance, although most fans and experts do see a KO. Is Wilder a finished fighter? Will Zhang gas out at some stage? Will both men let their hands go with venom? Could the eventual winner score an early knockdown and then be content to sit on his lead, boxing cautiously to the finish line? Will this one be a great fight, a stinker, or somewhere in between?
As is their custom, the folks at RingTV.com have compiled an expert poll ahead of the big fight, and it makes for interesting reading. Of the 20 experts asked to make their prediction, 12 are going “Big Bang,” and eight are going “Bronze Bomber.”
Diego Morilla likes Wilder via unanimous decision, while Jolene Mizzone likes Zhang via UD, with Steve Farhood going for Wilder via points victory. The remaining 17 experts see a KO, with 11 experts picking Zhang to get the stoppage win, and six picking Wilder to lower the boom.
It really is a fascinating fight, and one does get the feeling that if these two bangers fought each other five times, the result would be different each time. But chances are, Zhang and Wilder will collide just once, and we fans hope it will prove to be a special encounter, a special fight.
Will it go early, or will it go late? Will we see multiple knockdowns and an X-rated knockout to end matters?
Pick: Both men hit the floor, with Wilder scoring a mid-rounds KO over Zhang in a real thriller.
