Media Alex Pereira sparring 290 lbs 6’6” heavyweight boxer Zhilei Zhang

[BoxerMaurits]

Zhilei Zhang is an Olympic silver medalist.
The Chinese heavyweight has a professional boxing record of 24-1 (19 KO)



Swipe for more pics



Pereira also sparred former WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO title-challenger Mariusz Wach, who is 6’8”, aswell as former three-time GLORY Kickboxing middleweight championship-challenger Yousri Belgaroui, who’s also Pereira’s main-sparringparter for the Adesanya fight (just like he was last camp). Yousri is 1-2 against Pereira inside the GLORY-ring













Pics from every angle I found

 

[BoxerMaurits]

Zhilei Zhang has had just a single loss in his professional boxing career so far. He suffered his first loss against the undefeated Croatian Filip Hrgović, in a very entertaining fight.
I absolutely didn’t agree with the judges decision though. Imo Zhang won the fight, and he was quite a big underdog to begin with. I remember being fairly amazed Hrgović got the decision when I watched the fight back after coming home from GLORY 81 in Germany (which I attended together with @TacticalTijs).
Here’s the highlights video of their fight, take a look at it if you want:



Zhilei Zhang is set to face the British Joe Joyce for the WBO interim heavyweight-championship next week.


Also, how would Pereira do if he chose to box professionally? So far his pro record is 1-0

 

[7 others]

We would probably never find out.. unless Izzy joins boxing

 

[ExitLUPin]

Zhang is a legit top 10-15 HW boxer in the world.

Losing to Hrgovic is no shame and like you said it was very close. Hrgovic, Anderson and Jalolov are poised to be the big 3 of HW soon with most the best HWs now in their late 30s.

 

[Jin Akutsu]

I think he should probably stick to MMA and Kickboxing. Unless he follows Izzy again.

ZZ is an elite heavyweight though. He's got a tough fight in Joyce ahead. Should be a great scrap.

 

[HuskySamoan]

Joyce vs Zhang is a decent fight, didn't even know it was happening. I'd like to see some footage of them sparring, cool to see boxers and mma fighters working together.

 

[Izzysexboyfriend]

 

[KOPPE]

Alex's style of fighting revolves around his devastating knees and kicks and the threat of it.
the dude who voted Elite level/title-challenger is out of his mind, i can name 10 wrestlers
who are better boxers than Alex.

 

[BoxerMaurits]

Zhang is a legit top 10-15 HW boxer in the world.

Losing to Hrgovic is no shame and like you said it was very close. Hrgovic, Anderson and Jalovov are poised to be the big 3 of HW soon with most the best HWs now in their late 30s.

Yeah for real. Their biggest obstacle right now is to get a fight scheduled in the first place. It looks like no one wants to fight against those relatively unknown heavyweights (who don’t have a lot of drawing power) who are very dangerous opponents. High-risk, low-reward. This results in those young guys having a hard time finding opponents to step up in competition, because they can’t get a fight at the higher-level.
I wish losing your 0 in boxing wouldn’t be that big of a deal. Atleast in that case we would get the best fighting the best. All those great matchups would be made in a minute, but not with modern days boxing politics unfortunately…

 

[BoxerMaurits]

i can name 10 wrestlers
who are better boxers than Alex.

Go ahead, I’m curious now

 

[matrixremaster]

Alex probably knocked him out.

 

[TempleoftheDog]

Zhilei Zhang is an Olympic silver medalist.
The Chinese heavyweight has a professional boxing record of 24-1 (19 KO)

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Swipe for more pics



Pereira also sparred former WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO title-challenger Mariusz Wach, who is 6’8”, aswell as former three-time GLORY Kickboxing middleweight championship-challenger Yousri Belgaroui, who’s also Pereira’s main-sparringparter for the Adesanya fight (just like he was last camp). Yousri is 1-2 against Pereira inside the GLORY-ring



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Pics from every angle I found

Just the stills, no video? Video would have been cool.

 

[Simple Southerner]

Elite level/title-challenger

 

[BoxerMaurits]

Just the stills, no video? Video would have been cool.

Unfortunately not. I also would’ve loved to see that sparring session, but I only found those pics.
I can maybe try and ask Yousri, I’m in contact with him every now and then

 

[Buff]

Was hoping he'd look a bit more like Bolo tbh...

Alex would do as badly at boxing as any MMA fighter has done before him also...

 

[TempleoftheDog]

Unfortunately not. I would’ve liked a sparring video too, but I just found those pics.
I can maybe try and ask Yousri, I’m in contact with him every now and then

Right on, go hard.

But if you can’t get it before Saturday, it’s not really necessary. Just for my own curiosity before the rematch this weekend.

Thanks anyway, man.

 

[nonoob]

All of those cats would be comatose if they had sparred in pink hair !

 

[BoxerMaurits]

Joyce vs Zhang is a decent fight, didn't even know it was happening. I'd like to see some footage of them sparring, cool to see boxers and mma fighters working together.

Me too. I could ask Yousri for sparring footage. Maybe he has some, but even if so, I’m not sure if he’s allowed to share it

 

[HuskySamoan]

Me too. I could ask Yousri for sparring footage. Maybe he has some, but even if so, I’m not sure if he’s allowed to share it

Oh yeah, I understand, it's just such an unexpected pairing to be sparring together. The weight difference is only like 35lbs and Pereira probably doesn't give up THAT much in terms of power when he isn't cutting to Zhang, he even has the slightly longer reach.

 

[Jonesisnatural]

Alex's style of fighting revolves around his devastating knees and kicks and the threat of it.
the dude who voted Elite level/title-challenger is out of his mind, i can name 10 wrestlers
who are better boxers than Alex.

Go ahead, I’m curious now

Yeah for real please say haha