The Big Bang Bests the Juggernaut in Rematch

In a fierce match against the ‘Juggernaut’ Joe Joyce, Zhilei ‘Big Bang’ Zhang managed to defend his title at Wembley Arena, along with his dignity. During the pre-match press conference, Zhang said that he intended to end [Joyce’s] career during the crucial Interim Heavyweight championship match. The atmosphere was intense in the days before the rematch, and Zhang was not going to let Joyce steal this title. Indeed Zhang did not. The two have had a short career fighting each other, and just earlier in the year, they faced off for the first time. During the Spring Interim Heavyweight championship, Zhang inflicted heavy damage to Joyce’s right eye—an injury which carried over to the rematch on September 23. But ever since that match in April, Zhang has asserted his dominance in the ring. And so, under the lights of Wembley Arena, Zhang pummeled Joyce with punches all across the face. The Juggernaut, known for his ability to soak up punches through his face, was pushed to his limits. After three solid minutes of chipping away at Joyce, Zhang was able to drop one last enormous jab to Joyce’s right cheek. And down went the Juggernaut. Zhang defended his title. And perhaps, he did end Joyce’s career. “I’m the tiger, and I’m hungry, and you don’t take food out of the tiger’s mouth,” Zhang said in the press conference. It would be an understatement to say that Joyce was put in his place.

Despite Zhang’s success, his rise to greatness was unexpected and full of obstacles. Zhang was born on May 2, 1983, in Zhoukou, China. Surprisingly, Zhang was a canoeist as a young boy, but when people saw his enormous size—a whopping six feet tall at age 13—they said he should be a boxer, so Zhang decided to switch to boxing. Much of his early career and training in China is unknown, but Zhang jump-started his amateur career in 2003 by competing in the World Amateur Boxing Championship, where he lost in the first round to Polish boxer Grzegorz Kielsa. In 2004 and 2005, he lost in the finals of the World University Boxing Championships; in 2007, he lost in the semifinals of the World Amateur Boxing Championship but qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. It was there that Zhang made a name for himself, winning a silver medal for China. 

Zhang announced the start of his professional career in New York City on March 10, 2014, signing with American boxing promoter Dino Duva. In his pro debut, Zhang knocked out Curtis Tate in the first 17 seconds of the match. Since then, Zhang has amassed an impressive record of 26-1-1, with 21 of those wins being by knockout. Five months prior to Zhang’s most recent match against Joyce, the two faced off. Despite Joyce being the favorite to win, Zhang won by TKO in the sixth round. And just two weeks ago in their rematch, Zhang proved once again that he’s avoided for a reason.

Zhang’s impact on the boxing world goes beyond his undeniable talent in the ring; he is also breaking through the ropes that extend beyond the ring. Zhang’s meteoric rise highlights the shifting face of professional boxing, emphasizing the increasingly global nature of the sport, and, with it, a growing international fandom.

As an East Asian athlete, Zhang challenges typical stereotypes and preconceptions such as East Asians being unathletic and physically small, proving that race is not representative of talent and skill. Zhang’s journey resonates with countless fans worldwide, inspiring them to relentlessly follow their dreams, no matter their background. In a world where diversity and inclusivity are celebrated, Zhang’s success is a powerful story that shines a spotlight on the inspiring and transformative ability of sports.