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Tom Bell

China’s Zhang Zhilei took another step towards a shot at a world heavyweight boxing title by knocking out Joe Joyce early in their rematch in London – before calling out Tyson Fury.
Zhang dominated at Wembley Arena, dictating the fight against a ponderous and hesitant Joyce before ending it with a sledgehammer right hand in the third round.
The 40-year-old continued where he left off in April’s first bout between the two, also in London at the Copper Box Arena, when he had produced a stunning sixth-round technical knockout to take the WBO interim heavyweight belt from Joyce.
He held on to it on Saturday, with Joyce again having no answer to his power and speed. And afterwards, Zhang had a message for WBC champion Fury.

“I feel very happy – like I said beforehand, it’s going to end sooner,” Zhang said in the ring via an interpreter. “I wanted everyone to see this Chinese power again.
“We came here to entertain the crowd. I hope everyone enjoyed my performance. Thanks also to my fans on Chinese social media.”
Linked previously with a match-up with Fury this summer, Zhang – also mandatory challenger to WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk – instead faced this sequel with Joyce after the Briton triggered their rematch clause. But the case for Zhang making a decent fist of a meeting with the Gypsy King is growing.
“I have a question for the crowd,” Zhang said. “Do you want to see me shut Tyson Fury up?”
The response, albeit not in Fury’s native north of England, suggested some interest in Zhang attempting to do just that after a consummate display.
Joyce had vowed to learn from the first encounter, when he had been a sitting target for southpaw Zhang and failed to make use of his expected advantage in mobility.
China’s Zhang makes big bang in ring, targets Usyk title fight after Joyce win
This time, Joyce, 38, weighed in 25lbs (11kg) heavier at a career-high 281lbs, but it left him leaden-footed. By contrast, Zhang – despite being 6lbs heavier still and having put on 9lbs since April – backed up his pre-fight assertion that he was his natural weight.
He was quick to show he had the hand speed and confidence to hurt Joyce, landing big left hooks almost at will while his opponent dabbed tentatively from distance.
It was a matter of when Zhang would finish the job, which he did by rocking Joyce with another left before flooring him with a thunderous right.


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Boxing

China’s Zhang Zhilei calls out Tyson Fury after sensational KO of Joe Joyce moves him closer to world heavyweight boxing title shot

Joe Joyce is knocked down by Zhang Zhilei 
 in London. Photo: Action Images via Reuters

Zhang celebrates in the ring at Wembley Arena after his demolition job on Joyce. Photo: Action Images via Reuters

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Sport

‘Big Bang’ lives up to his nickname as he lands right-hand piledriver in third round to poleaxe the Englishman at London’s Wembley Arena
‘I have a question for the crowd,’ Zhang says afterwards. ‘Do you want to see me shut Tyson Fury up?’


‘Big Bang’ Zhang Zhilei lives up to his nickname as he floors Englishman Joe Joyce in the third round of their rematch in London – then calls out Tyson Fury.


Tyson Fury