Boxing

ZHILEI ZHANG wants a homecoming in China after his stunning upset against Joe Joyce on away soil. The 6ft 6in heavyweight returned to London 11 years after losing to Anthony Joshua in the Olympics.
Zhilei Zhang after beating Joe JoyceCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Tyson Fury has been called out by Zhilei ZhangCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
But he made no mistakes of redemption in the capital as he brutally left Joyce unable to continue following six rounds due to eye swelling.
Zhang, 39, inherited the WBO interim title and mandatory challenger status for the full belt held by Oleksandr Usyk, 36.
But it is instead WBC champion Fury, 34, who East Asian star wants after bouncing back from defeat to Filip Hrgovic, 30, in August.
Asked what he wants next, Zhang told SecondsOut: “Tyson Fury in China.
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“I feel like people were questioning about my conditioning and stamina after the Hrgovic fight.
“But for me, I have such a successful training camp. My boxing and conditioning trainers stayed on top of it.
“I know that Joe Joyce wanted to take this to deep water and drown me, but I’m here.
“You can drown me if you want, but I’m ready for twelve rounds.”
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Despite Zhang’s lofty ambitions, it could be out of his hands due to the rematch clause in Joyce’s contract.
But the 2016 Olympic silver medalist, 37, has not confirmed whether he will active the stipulation, although Zhang has welcomed it.
He said: “Yeah, I’ll do it if Joe Joyce wants to do it. I’ll do it in London, New York, or China.”
Joe Joyce was beaten by Zhilei Zhang in six roundsCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More

DILLIAN WHYTE has laid into Anthony Joshua and said his heavyweight rival “SUCKS” with their rematch facing the KO. Whyte beat Joshua in their 2009 amateur thriller but was stopped six years later when they rematched in the professional ranks.
Dillian Whyte lost to Anthony Joshua in 2015Credit: AFP
And after he beat Jermaine Franklin in November, the ex-world title challenger believed he would be next for AJ.
But it was instead beaten Franklin, 29, who welcomed Joshua, 33, back to the ring, losing a points decision at the start of April.
AJ then raised eyebrows when he made the revelation that he would not be returning until December.
Whyte, 34, was left fuming even more as he hit out at his British rival.
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He said on talkSPORT: “Joshua sucks man, sucks, sucks. That’s the only way I can put it, he sucks.”
Rumours have emerged of a stunning four-man heavyweight tournament in Saudi Arabia in December.
It would see Joshua face Deontay Wilder, 37, with Tyson Fury, 34, against Oleksandr Usyk, 36.
The winners of the super-fights would then meet in a finale, but Whyte wants to get involved in the action.
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He said: “Do an eight-man tournament and include me. An eight-man tournament and include me and Joe Joyce.
“An eight-man tournament would be amazing. That would force everyone to fight everyone.
“That’s what heavyweight boxing’s all about – drama and excitement. That’s what we need to do, try and big back that drama and excitement.”
Whyte was ringside to watch Joyce, 37, return against Zhilei Zhang, 39, in the hopes of challenging the 2016 Olympic silver medalist.
But those plans took a hit when Zhang pulled off a shock upset after Joyce was pulled out in round six due to horror eye swelling.
Dillian Whyte watched Joe Joyce v Zhilei Zhang from ringsideCredit: Reuters
Joe Joyce was beaten by Zhilei Zhang in six roundsCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More

THE stunning ring girls for Joyce Joyce vs Zhilei Zhang left the crowd wanting more as they wowed in skin-tight outfits. The heavyweight bout saw Zhang force a sixth round stoppage against Joyce after the ringside doctor and ref deemed him unable to continue with a swollen right eye.
The stunning ring girls for Joe Joyce vs Zhilei Zhang wowed the crowdCredit: Instagram toniasaltxx
Kayleigh Debono stunned her skin-tight fitCredit: Instagram toniasaltxx
With Antonia Salt donning the same fit from Frank Warren’s Queensbury PromotionsCredit: Instagram toniasaltxx
The black and yellow trim of the outfit led to Kayleigh calling them ‘bumblebees’Credit: Instagram toniasaltxx
And while the fight itself gave the Copper Box Arena crowd a heavyweight spectacle, the ringside action left them wanting more.
Stunning ring girls Antonia Salt and Kalyeigh Debono took to their Instagram’s to share their looks for the night.
The duo showed off their busty figures in skin-tight outfits.
The Frank Warren’s Queensbury Promotions sponsored fits saw them don black leggings and tops complete with a golden yellow trim.
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This led to Kayleigh calling them “two bumblebees” on her story.
The look was completed by white shoes, while both left their hair down for the event.
Antonia revealed a message she received from a fan following the fight which said: “Goated ring girl lol x.”
Meanwhile, Kayleigh shared a snap of her standing next to the ring.
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Both Antonia and Kayleigh have previously worked on Joyce fight’s, appearing for the Brit’s victory over Joseph Parker in September.
Kayleigh’s work that weekend was not over either as she shot over to Silverstone to work on the grid ahead of F1’s British Grand Prix.
The pair will be hoping to work on Tyson Fury’s next fight, along with a potential rematch of last night’s fight if Joyce exercises his rematch clause.
Kayleigh posed ringside for the boutCredit: Instagram toniasaltxx
Antonia revealed a message she received from a fan after the eventCredit: Instagram toniasaltxx
They have worked on Joyce fights beforeCredit: Instagram toniasaltxx
Their night came as Joe Joyce was stopped in the sixth round by Zhilei ZhangCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More

JOE JOYCE admitted he is “gutted” after his shock loss to Zhilei Zhang but was sent a classy message of support from his rival. The 2016 Olympic silver medallist was stunned in defeat to Zhang, who scored a sixth-round technical knockout.
Zhilei Zhang following victory over Joe JoyceCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Joyce’s right eye was gruesomely swollen and the referee and ringside doctor deemed him unable to continue.
It saw the heavyweight suffer defeat for the first time in his professional career, leaving his title hopes in tatters.
But Joyce vowed to overcome the setback as he spoke out the morning after the loss.
He posted on Instagram: “Gutted, so annoying that I lost, but credit to Zhilei Zhang for giving me a good fight and getting the victory. I’ll be back.”
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Zhang commented: “You are a warrior and true gentleman. You will come back stronger.”
Joyce, 37, lost his WBO interim title and mandatory shot at the full belt held by Oleksandr Usyk, 36.
Zhang, who turns 40 in May, inherits the belt and pole position while opening the door to a rematch.
He told SecondsOut: “Yeah, I’ll do it if Joe Joyce wants to do it. I’ll do it in London, New York, or China.
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“Failure doesn’t mean anything. If I failed tonight. I’ll go back and watch my video and work on my weakness, and I’ll come back again.”
But Joyce told talkSPORT: “When you take risks, sometimes it doesn’t go your way. I’m just disappointed, but I’ll be back.
“It’s not the end of my journey. If I decide to rematch him next or whenever, I’ll be back.
“I’ll be reviewing my loss and seeing where I can make improvements and stuff, but yeah, just massively disappointed.”
In a separate interview with BBC Sport, Joyce added: “We’re going to discuss it. I could have one in between. I’m just going to decide.
“I’m going to have some time off and reflect and watch the tape back and see where I went wrong.”
Joe Joyce has a rematch clause with Zhilei ZhangCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More