Former heavyweight destroyer Deontay Wilder’s career appears to be over after a stunning knockout loss on Sunday.
The “Bronze Bomber” was knocked out by Zhilei Zhang during their mega-fight in Saudi Arabia. It was Wilder’s fourth defeat from his past five fights and any hope of a climb back towards a title shot appears to be dead.
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Zhang, who had a crazy 30kg weight advantage, ended the fight in the fifth round with a crushing right hand shot that dropped Wilder to the floor.
He was incredibly able to get back to his feet but was struggling to stand on wobbly legs before the referee stopped the fight.
Fight commentators around the world have called it a sad ending for Wilder at the age of 38.
Boxing guru Dan Rafael said the saddest part about the result is that the dream fight between Wilder and former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will never happen because of Wilder’s sudden decline.
“The thing that I think of is that Wilder-Joshua goes to the dustbin of #boxing history,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Will never happen but should have when they were undefeated and in their prime and would have been for undisputed.”
He also wrote: “Terrible fight, violent ending. Wilder sad to say is done. Nothing left.”
Leading UK boxing journalist Michael Bensonn wrote: “Surely the end for Wilder.”.
ESPN’s Mike Coppinger rote that Wilder had been “crushed”.
Saudi-Arabia’s megafight-maker Turki Alalshikh earlier declared that his ideal opponent for Joshua’s next fight on September 21 at Wembley Stadium was Wilder.
Now it appears Joshua will have to turn towards fellow Englishman Daniel Dubois.
Earlier, “Dynamite” Dubois stopped Filip Hrgovic in the eighth round to put his career on track towards a title shot.
The 26-year-old said he hopes the win will set up a potential super-fight with Joshua in September after the referee stepped in to stop his fight in the eighth round.
The fight twisted dramatically in Dubois’ favour in the seventh round when thunder shots opened up cuts above both of Hrgovic’s eyes.
The referee ruled that it was unsafe for Hrgovic to continue in the eighth round.
“I hope the next opponent would be AJ so bring it on,” Dubois said after the win.
“This is my era and this is my time.”
Dubois added: “I have full respect for the guy, to come through that was a learning experience. I’m glad I got the belt and on to the next.
“I was a bit cold to start off with, I had the corner advice, Frank Warren and my dad.
“I ate some shots but it was only to wake me up. The first few shots stung but they woke me up.
“I’m so proud of myself. It is all a learning experience. We are back on top. It has felt like a rollercoaster. It has felt like a rollercoaster.”