Chinese heavyweight giant Zhilei Zhang is eager to get in the ring with WBC world champion Tyson Fury in the future.

Back in April, Zhang pulled off a big upset when he stopped Joe Joyce to capture the WBO's interim-title.

After the fight was over, Zhang was in serious discussions for a fight with Fury.

Their negotiations were cut short when Joyce exercised his contractual right to an immediate rematch.

The second fight will take place on September 23 at Wembley Arena in London.

“My team were in conversations with Tyson Fury’s team, we were very close to making that fight before the rematch clause was activated,” Zhang tells Standard Sport, via Free Bets. “I believe that fight [with Fury] is going to happen, one way or another.”

Fury will return to the ring against the most unlikely of opponents, when he takes on former UFC champion Francis Ngannou in a cross-spot boxing match on October 28 in Saudi Arabia.

The non-title fight has been assaulted with a mountain of criticism, because Ngannou will be making his pro debut and has little to no boxing experience.

 Zhang is not in favor of Fury going in this direction and had some very heated words for the unbeaten champion.

“When you look at Tyson Fury - he avoided Joshua, he avoided Usyk,” Zhang says. “He chose to fight somebody who has never been in the ring before.

“[Ngannou] is a novice, he’s just turning pro. Yes he’s a UFC champion and I have respect for him, but when it comes to the ring it’s a different story. So Tyson Fury I think is a disgrace to the sport of boxing. Shame on him.”