by Keith Idec
There was a time early within the fall when it appeared Zhilei Zhang would get a possibility to avenge his loss to Joseph Parker.
Boxing Information has confirmed, nevertheless, that Parker and Zhang have agreed to compete in separate heavyweight title fights February 22 as a part of a stacked card at Kingdom Area in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. New Zealand’s Parker will problem Daniel Dubois for the London native’s IBF belt, whereas China’s Zhang will sq. off towards Germany’s Agit Kabayel in one other 12-rounder for the WBC interim championship.
The cardboard might additionally function the sunshine heavyweight championship rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol within the 12-round foremost occasion. Huge Combat Weekend’s Dan Rafael first reported on X that the Beterbiev-Bivol rematch, which has been brazenly mentioned by Saudi battle financier Turki Alalshikh since Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs) beat Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs) by unanimous resolution October 12 at Kingdom Area, and Dubois-Parker bouts will probably be a part of the February 22 pay-per-view occasion.
As Boxing Information’ Steve Wellings wrote earlier Tuesday, British middleweight Hamzah Sheeraz will problem WBC middleweight champ Carlos Adames on the Beterbiev-Bivol undercard (https://boxingnewsonline.web/hamzah-sheeraz-closing-in-on-world-title-opportunity/). Ilford’s Sheeraz (21-0, 17 KOs) is the WBC’s quantity one-ranked contender for the 160-pound crown owned by the Dominican Republic’s Adames (24-1, 18 KOs).
Probably the most intriguing boxing matches that may be made, a junior middleweight showdown between IBF welterweight champ Jaron “Boots” Ennis (33-0, 29 KOs, 1 NC) and WBC interim tremendous welterweight titleholder Vergil Ortiz Jr. (22-0, 21 KOs), additionally may very well be added to the February 22 present. Eddie Hearn, whose Matchroom Boxing promotes Ennis, instructed Boxing Information’ Andi Purewal on Tuesday that talks are “progressing” for Philadelphia’s Ennis to oppose Ortiz, of Grand Prairie, Texas.
Hearn added, although, that Ennis’ crew continues to be contemplating 147-pound championship unification fights for his first look of 2025. A choice on Ennis’ subsequent battle may very well be made by the top of this week, in accordance with Hearn.
Parker, in the meantime, will try to increase his profitable streak to 6 since he was knocked out within the eleventh spherical by then-unbeaten Joe Joyce in September 2022 at AO Area in Manchester, England. Parker (35-3, 23 KOs) upset Zhang (27-2-1, 22 KOs) by majority resolution and former WBC champ Deontay Wilder (43-4-1, 42 KOs) by unanimous resolution in his previous two fights, a pair of 12-rounders.
The previous WBO champ turned an possibility for Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs) as soon as British celebrity Anthony Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) eliminated himself as a possible foe for Dubois’ subsequent battle. Dubois knocked out Watford’s Joshua within the fifth spherical of their foremost occasion September 21 at a sold-out Wembley Stadium in London.
The 41-year-old Zhang, who misplaced the WBO interim title to Parker on March 8 at Kingdom Area, will try to halt Kabayel’s momentum. Kabayel (25-0, 17 KOs) knocked out two undefeated contenders – Russia’s Arslanbek Makhmudov (19-2, 18 KOs) and Cuba’s Frank Sanchez (24-1, 17 KOs) – in his final two fights.
Kabayel is ranked second among the many WBC’s heavyweight contenders, two spots atop the fourth-rated Zhang. Former WBC champ Tyson Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs), its primary contender, will face Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) in a right away rematch December 21 at Kingdom Area for Usyk’s IBO, WBA, WBC and WBO titles.
