Chinese boxing heavyweight ‘Big Bang’ Zhang Zhilei targets 2022 run after TKO on Lopez-Kambosos card
- The Beijing 2008 silver medallist stops American Craig Lewis in second round to bounce back from disappointing draw in February
- ‘2022 here comes the Big Bang,’ says Zhang, who wants revenge against Anthony Joshua for London 2012 quarter-final defeat
Undefeated Chinese boxing heavyweight Zhang Zhilei will be targeting a run towards title contention in 2022 after an impressive second-round TKO of Craig Lewis at the weekend.
The 38-year-old Zhoukou, Henan native extended his record to 23-0-1 (18 KOs) with victory on the undercard of new unified lightweight champion George Kambosos Jnr’s shock split decision win over Teofimo Lopez in New York City.
“I’m grateful for my family, friends and my team for trusting me – 2022 here comes the Big Bang,” Zhang wrote in a post on his Instagram account after the fight.
Lewis (14-5-1, 8 KOs) had lost five of his last six outings, taking the fight on a week’s notice after a two-year lay-off, but had never previously been stopped.
The 1.98-metres tall Zhang – a super heavyweight silver medallist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics – started slowly but knocked 37-year-old Lewis down twice in the second round with two straight left hands.
The American journeyman looked out of his feet after the first knockdown, but was allowed to continue by referee Shada Murdaugh.