When it was announced that heavyweight Zhilei Zhang would fight Joe Joyce, it turned some heads, as most thought Zhang had an exclusive deal with Matchroom, why wouldn’t fight on a Matchroom card instead of Boxxer?
“We have a great relationship with George Warren, and Zhang had a situation with us, where we had matching rights for his fights moving forward,” explained Hearn in a media scrum in New York City, NY. “I spoke with George Warren. Zhang wanted to make the fight, I was happy with the offer that was made to Zhang. Me and George got the final bits over the line.”
So in short, the fight got made, because it makes sense, both in terms of the fighters careers and in terms of their wallets being filled.
“[Zhang] is in a great position,” said Hearn. “Everybody including Zhilei Zhang will struggle with the work rate of Joe Joyce, and Joe Joyce will overrun Zhilei Zhang, but Zhang can really punch with his back hand, and Joyce will be open, as always, to get hit flush on the chin.”
Joe Joyce faces Zhilei Zhang on April 15th, in London.
