Zhang Zhilei Signs With Eddie Hearn‘s Matchroom Boxing

[Ruthless-RKO]

Press Release

Zhang Zhilei has signed a promotional deal with Matchroom.

Matchroom’s deal with Zhang sees Eddie Hearn’s promotional outfit appointed as the sole promoter of the Chinese star.

The unbeaten China Heavyweight (21-0 16 KOs) has returned to action in November in Monte Carlo, Monaco with a ten-round win over Andriy Rudenko seeing Zhang pick up the WBO Oriental title for the third time – Zhang now sits at #11 with the WBO and #12 with the IBF as he aims to convert his prolific amateur career in the pro game.

‘Big Bang’ is in New Jersey training for his return to the ring Stateside in November, and the 37 year old giant wants to put his career into overdrive and prove that he is ready to challenge for World titles in the paid ranks.

“I’m very happy to enter into an agreement with Matchroom,” said Zhang. “They are one of the best promoters in the world. I’m the best Heavyweight coming out of China. I just need an opportunity to become the best in the world which I strongly believe that Matchroom is able to provide. With each of us focused on our part, I wish a happy and successful future together.”

“The Heavyweight scene couldn’t be any hotter right now, so this is the perfect time for Zhilei to get back into action and throw his name into the mix,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “Zhilei is ready to take on all-comers and as he aims for his 22nd win in November, the next step for ‘Big Bang’ then will be to face his fellow top-class contenders and get in position for a World title shot.”

“We are extremely excited about the partnership with Matchroom,” said Zhang’s advisor Terry Lane, from Lane Brothers Boxing. “Zhilei is a world-class Heavyweight and Matchroom is one of the world’s premier boxing promoters. It’s a natural fit, and this puts Zhilei in the mix amongst boxing's top big-men.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

I thought he already signed him when he fought in Monte Carlo last year.

Now he should sign Junlong and have one of them lose their ‘0’..

[Boxing Prospect]

HAHAHAHAHAHA

Oh Eddie, signing a 37 year old Heavyweight, who has been inactive, has maybe 2 fights in him (including a gimme in November). Jesus Christ, he let Hunter go and signed an old, creaky, guy from a market with a small (albeit growing) boxing fanbase.

Ridiculous

[Ruthless-RKO]

HAHAHAHAHAHA

Oh Eddie, signing a 37 year old Heavyweight, who has been inactive, has maybe 2 fights in him (including a gimme in November). Jesus Christ, he let Hunter go and signed an old, creaky, guy from a market with a small (albeit growing) boxing fanbase.

Ridiculous

Gonna give him a few fights then feed him to AJ.

[Boxing Prospect]

HAHAHAHAHAHA

Oh Eddie, signing a 37 year old Heavyweight, who has been inactive, has maybe 2 fights in him (including a gimme in November). Jesus Christ, he let Hunter go and signed an old, creaky, guy from a market with a small (albeit growing) boxing fanbase.

Ridiculous

Gonna give him a few fights then feed him to AJ.

AJ has a back log of mandatories... With fighters Hearn already works with, so get them out of the way and we're looking at Zhang being close to 39 and no one will take him seriously anyway.

[Ruthless-RKO]

HAHAHAHAHAHA

Oh Eddie, signing a 37 year old Heavyweight, who has been inactive, has maybe 2 fights in him (including a gimme in November). Jesus Christ, he let Hunter go and signed an old, creaky, guy from a market with a small (albeit growing) boxing fanbase.

Ridiculous

Gonna give him a few fights then feed him to AJ.

AJ has a back log of mandatories... With fighters Hearn already works with, so get them out of the way and we're looking at Zhang being close to 39 and no one will take him seriously anyway.

Not if the fight takes place in China or near there..

Hearn said few years ago, Joshua vs. Zhang in China would’ve huge. AND he wants AJ to fight Nigeria as well.

[Boxing Prospect]

Zhang isn't huge in China, his last bout there came in a half empty gym
https://www.asianboxing.info/videos/zha ... aynesworth

Sure a bout with Joshua would do better there but that would be on Joshua.

[Nightmare Roy]

Someone else to put in the way of a Fury fight

[watsupdoc87]

Thought this happened ages ago

[nmhz]

Zhang isn't huge in China, his last bout there came in a half empty gym

Only because boxing isn’t popular in China like most combat sports. Even MMA has a limited audience

[jameswilson]

Maybe the old contract was time based and he’s re signed.

He’s clearly being built to be an opponent for someone upcoming like Hrgovic or another prospect.

[Boxing Prospect]

Zhang isn't huge in China, his last bout there came in a half empty gym

Only because boxing isn’t popular in China like most combat sports. Even MMA has a limited audience

But surely you only need a small percentage of 1.5 billion people?

Yeah, you only need a small percent of the Chinese population to catch on to the sport to have big numbers....but Zhang hasn't connected with the Chinese people, and that's not been helped by the fact that he's fought 4 squash matches at home (compared to 16 bouts in the US and 1 in Europe).

Add that to the fact China doesn't really have PPV combat sports, a high level of piracy and free streams, and a relatively low average income and you have to do more than just get a few percent to make it profitable.

The smart money for China was to market to the Casino's (as Arum did), and big corporate sponsors (i.e Tencent), and build a fan base behind someone (Can Xu). Zhang had none of those behind him, and given his age it's too late to really build any of those.

[Coco]

Having a world heavyweight title fight in China would be huge whether they had a Chinese fella fighting or not.
The Chinese are real proud of their sportsmen who have an impact internationally, and I don't think they would need much to get behind Zhang

[jameswilson]

I quite literally think Zhang’s been signed to fight Bakole, or Hughie Fury or Hrgovic.

He might get a fight against Tom Little or the like before then but that’s the master plan and it’s little more complicated than that.

[nmhz]

Only because boxing isn’t popular in China like most combat sports. Even MMA has a limited audience

But surely you only need a small percentage of 1.5 billion people?

Yeah, you only need a small percent of the Chinese population to catch on to the sport to have big numbers....but Zhang hasn't connected with the Chinese people, and that's not been helped by the fact that he's fought 4 squash matches at home (compared to 16 bouts in the US and 1 in Europe).

Add that to the fact China doesn't really have PPV combat sports, a high level of piracy and free streams, and a relatively low average income and you have to do more than just get a few percent to make it profitable.

The smart money for China was to market to the Casino's (as Arum did), and big corporate sponsors (i.e Tencent), and build a fan base behind someone (Can Xu). Zhang had none of those behind him, and given his age it's too late to really build any of those.

Add the sheer size of the country and that small percentage needs to get bigger to get the locals engaged. The population is very spread out, and most people would not travel a few hours by plane or train to see an unknown Chinese heavyweight who as BP said does not have much connection to the local audience.

Having a world heavyweight title fight in China would be huge whether they had a Chinese fella fighting or not.
The Chinese are real proud of their sportsmen who have an impact internationally, and I don't think they would need much to get behind Zhang

100% the locals are proud of their fellow countrymen but this would still require heavy marketing which simply is not done for combat sports in China.

[margaret thatcher]

there is always this dreamy scenario of massive massive money from a chinese audience, it's obviously not so simple if it's never happened, promoters have already targetted China too and very little has come of it

[Fray Bentos]

The Chinese public might not care about professional sports in the way they do care about their Olympic teams and Olympians which they care about very much, Zhang is a two-time Olympian - Edward could stage the fight in Zhengzhou and play on the angle that Zhang is going to fight Joshua to restore Chinese pride from the 2012 Olympics where he lost to Joshua, the population of Henan Province (over 100 million...) where Zhang is from would bring that kind of interest though it might need some heavy PR to get it going. Zhang might need to come back here and knock over a couple of bodies to get people interested.

But professional boxing is never going to take off in a big way in China I don't think. People are not that interested in what they see as a western martial art.

[funso banjo baby]

he's awful but lots of fun

[margaret thatcher]

fan menglong lives in jersey too, wonder if they bunk together

[Frostieballs]

It’s all about then Chinese government. If they tell people to get behind him, they will get behind him.

[mickey1975]

They got big tv viewers for the little 2008 guy who turned over.

[mickey1975]

Zou got 300,000,000 for his debut!

[jameswilson]

Might even be Alen ‘The cabbage’ Babic’s next opponent if he gets through Kennedy.

[jameswilson]

Fighting Dave Allen. Could end up being a one fight deal.

Not sure if it needs to be announced that the fight won’t be happening in Beijing.

[Coco]

They aren't going to set up Matchroom China?