Comments Thread For: Zhilei Zhang Adviser: We Wants Guys Like Parker or Ortiz Next; Could Fight In New York or Las Vegas In February

[Eff Pandas]

Sounds like the IBF will strip the winner of Fury-Usyk fight, if they don't fight Hrgovic next. If they do strip the Fury-Usky winner, they'll order Hrgovic vs Joshua for the IBF belt. Would love to see Hrgovic vs Zhang for the IBF belt, but ABC politics won't allow it, since Zhang holds the WBO mandatory and isn't ranked by the IBF

And with a 2 way rematch clause that feels like its 90% likely to happen outside of the loser not being able to fight right away giving the winner an opportunity to fight Filip in the meantime.

Zhang is probably not seeing a belt fight til sometime in 2025 being the IBF mando & with how the Fury vs Usyk 2 fight deal will play into it. If AJ beats Filip for the belt the move for Zhang might be to be AJ's first defense in late 2024/early 2025.

[MulaKO]

I’d rather someone like Jared Anderson, Bakole, Frank Sanchez, even a Hrgovic rematch. I like Parker as a person, but him and Ortiz are just nothing fights for a guy who is just waiting on his title shot.

That’s exactly why it would have to be a Parker
He’s done what needed to get to mando position
I wouldn’t mind one of the aforementioned fights but give the guy a break

[Eff Pandas]

Parker and Ortiz are trash.

He should fight Andy Ruiz or even Frank Sanchez instead.

Frank feels like a makeable fight.

Andy is trying to get back his divorce losses that are coming so he feels like he'd price himself out of any risky fight or outright bad fight for him which I think most would agree Zhang is.

[b Murphington]

Ortiz punch resistance is gone. Zhang ruins him. Same with Parker. Get him in there with someone more live.

[Zaroku]

I’d rather someone like Jared Anderson, Bakole, Frank Sanchez, even a Hrgovic rematch. I like Parker as a person, but him and Ortiz are just nothing fights for a guy who is just waiting on his title shot.

Can’t call them gate keepers anymore thy now are crash test dummies!

[Zaroku]

Ortiz punch resistance is gone. Zhang ruins him. Same with Parker. Get him in there with someone more live.

If only we had a prime butter bean to round out the circus of clowns

[Rockenator]

Sounds like the IBF will strip the winner of Fury-Usyk fight, if they don't fight Hrgovic next. If they do strip the Fury-Usky winner, they'll order Hrgovic vs Joshua for the IBF belt. Would love to see Hrgovic vs Zhang for the IBF belt, but ABC politics won't allow it, since Zhang holds the WBO mandatory and isn't ranked by the IBF

Another waste of time from the IBF in promoting Hrgovic. These boxing associations are a joke with their rankings. Let's add a couple more boxing associations and belts so everybody can fight everybody else as champions.

[steeve steel]

Why not, indeed?

I'm guessing too much risk for the money. At 40, he wants the biggest payday possible... cause seriously, how long can you stretch the glory of beating a painfully slow and unidimensional juggernaut?

[Roberto Vasquez]

Parker and Ortiz are good fights for Zhang. Why did he take so long to step up his level of opposition though? He is almost retired

[joe strong]

Hrgovic is first in the line for title shot. why would Zhang help Sanchez, Bakole and Anderson to build their careers, nobody knows these guys.

Parker is bigger fight.

Fight Parker for sure. He landed a lot of bombs on Joyce throughout those hard 11 rounds. If Joyce’s punch resistance is gone now Parker certainly contributed to that. That was Joyce’s hardest fight up until Jimmy smashed him twice. You are right Parker is 31 & still has name value. He provides a different challenge to Jimmy. I’m all for it.