Talk about a tough fight to pick, a fight with a wide range of outcomes. Deontay Wilder vs. Zhang Zilei is a fight that could decide both of their careers. Yes, the loser could be the one leaving town on Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Two heavy hitters, both coming off losses to the same opponent, both in desperate need of a “win.”
The question is who will win, Wilder or Zhang, and perhaps more importantly, how. On the one hand, it's not hard to predict that both fighters will be extremely careful early on and neither will be willing to commit. On the other hand, it's possible that both men will start off with a punch. It's not hard to imagine both of them going down, because whoever wins is not hard to picture battling for victory after getting injured.
While some expect Saturday's fight to go a full round, most fans and experts are predicting a knockout. Is Wilder a done deal? Will Zhang wear himself out at some point? Will both men launch heavy attacks? Will the eventual winner score an early knockdown and then cautiously defend his lead all the way to the finish line? Will this fight be great, boring or somewhere in between?
As always, the staff at RingTV.com has been collecting expert polls ahead of this big fight, and it's been interesting. Of the 20 experts asked to make predictions, 12 are predicting a “Big Bang” and 8 are predicting a “Bronze Bomber.” Diego Moria expects Wilder to win by unanimous decision, while Jolene Mizzone expects Zhang to win by UD. Steve Farhood expects Wilder to win on points. The remaining 17 experts are predicting a KO, 11 expect Zhang to win by stoppage, and 6 expect Wilder to explode.
This is a really fascinating fight and I get the impression that if these two powerhouses fought five times, the outcome would be different each time, but Chan and Wilder will probably only clash once and we as fans are hoping that it will be a special showdown, a special fight.
Will the fight end fast or slow? Will we see multiple knockdowns and a spectacular match-ending knockout?
Prediction: Both fighters will fall to the floor, Wilder will knock out Zhang midway through the round, and it will be a thrilling fight.
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