Queensberry Ensure Victory as Wilder Faces Zhang in Heavyweight Showdown

Queensberry has solidified their victory early on in the Matchroom vs. Queensberry 5v5 team event, despite the highly anticipated heavyweight main event clash between Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang at Riyadh‘s Kingdom Arena. The night started off in a disappointing manner for Matchroom as Craig Richards fell to Willy Hutchinson followed by Nick Ball defeating Raymond Ford in a grueling 12-round battle for the WBA featherweight world title.

Matchroom’s hopes were further dashed as Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams was overwhelmed by Hamzah Sheeraz in a final eliminator for the WBC middleweight title, awarding double points to the Queensberry team captain. With Filip Hrgovic’s defeat by Daniel Dubois in the battle for the IBF interim heavyweight title, Queensberry secured an unassailable 8-0 lead over Matchroom, with four wins out of four.

As the focus shifts from the team event, Dmitry Bivol emerged victorious after stopping late-replacement opponent Malik Zinad in the sixth round, setting the stage for the long-awaited clash between Bivol and Artur Beterbiev on October 12. The night culminated in Dubois claiming the IBF interim heavyweight title, potentially leading to a showdown with Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium in September.

Amidst the intensifying matchups in Riyadh, eyes are now on the IBF as they determine the fate of the full heavyweight title, amidst speculations of it being stripped from undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk. This could pave the way for Dubois to step into the championship title before a possible showdown with Joshua at Wembley or a matchup for the vacant title in their impending clash.

With Queensberry’s dominant performance in the 5v5 event and the narrative shifting towards the individual matchups, the main spotlight falls on Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang in the heavyweight showdown. As both fighters step into the ring, the pressure is on for a personal victory as their careers hang in the balance with another defeat potentially signaling retirement, given their ages of 38 and 41 respectively.