Zhang confirms plan for Parker rematch
Zhilei Zhang has confirmed he intends to activate his rematch clause, forcing Joseph Parker to fight him again.
Parker (35-3, 23 KOs) climbed off the canvas, twice, following knockdowns in the third and eighth rounds to defeat Zhang (26-2-1, 21 KOs) via a majority decision victory (scored 113-113, 114-112 and 115-111) in Saudi Arabia on Saturday (NZT).
Zhang has voiced his displeasure with the decision, claiming he won the fight, but is moving on towards the rematch – a clause that was inserted into his contract to protect his position as mandatory challenger to WBO world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk’s belt.
“We’ll come back,” Zhang has told Frank Warren's Queensberry Promotions.
“A true warrior doesn’t go down like this.”
Courtesy of his gutsy victory at the weekend, the Kiwi heavyweight now holds the WBO interim belt but that will also be back on the line in the second clash with Zhang.
With many details to be ironed out, official confirmation of a rematch will be a way off yet, but it seemingly makes sense for all parties. Zhang, 40, was able to hurt Parker so will back himself for a second crack and at this stage, it remains his best hope of a world title shot in a hurry, before the imminent end of the veteran’s career.
The timing of the rematch could be an interesting bone of contention with Parker wanting to remain active, with multiple fights this year, but given the age gap, Zhang may well want longer to prepare. And then there’s the issue of what card the fight lands on.
Despite his lack of output in the second half of the first fight, Zhang appeared to be shocked when the scorecards were read out in Parker’s favour.
“I thought I got it,” Zhang told Queensberry Promotions.
“I had two knockdowns, I was able to hold myself together and he was not able to land his shots.
“He threw a lot of shots but he didn’t land a lot of shots.”
Zhang, who will turn 41 on May 2, has admitted he thought the fight was over when he dropped Parker heavily with a short sharp left hand in the third round. That possibly gave him a feeling of complacency and might go some way to explaining why he threw his weapon of a left hand so sparingly after the third round.
When he did connect with it, Parker seemingly felt it each and every time.