Zhilei Zhang believes that Alex Pereira possesses the necessary qualities to thrive in the heavyweight division.
Zhang, who is presently the fifth-ranked heavyweight boxer globally, would likely have a higher ranking if financial constraints didn’t repeatedly prevent him from competing against top contenders. This highlights his credibility in assessing striking skills, and he believes that Pereira, the current UFC light heavyweight champion, possesses enough power to excel in a higher weight division.
Pereira and Zhang sparred back in March 2023 as “Poatan” prepared for his second UFC fight with Israel Adesanya at middleweight. Even when he was still hitting 185 pounds, “Poatan” was punching above his weight.
What a sparring ! After 4 rounds with zhilei zhang Im very confident for my next fight ! It was a hard and dangerous sparring – exactly what I needed. Now I know even more- I’m ready for 8th of April! pic.twitter.com/1oKCLhbu6b
— Alex “Poatan” Pereira (@AlexPereiraUFC) March 19, 2023
“He’s a good boxer,” Zhang said through a translator on the latest episode of The MMA Hour. “I can tell you he has good reflections, he has good speed and good power. I watch him fight a lot in UFC, he kind of dominates everybody standing and striking.”
There’s been a lot of talk about Pereira moving up to heavyweight to go for three division champion status. These days, it seems like Alex is the only one trying to slow that talk down. In Zhang’s opinion? Pereira would find success.
“He possesses the ability,” he stated confidently, “to transition into the heavyweight division.”
Zhang persists in challenging Anthony Joshua, who emerged victorious against him through a decision in the 2012 Olympics. However, he holds no expectations of receiving a response from “AJ.”
He remarked, “Consider his past adversaries such as Francis Ngannou from the UFC and Robert Helenius. In my opinion, he lacks the necessary skills to confront me head-on. The manner in which he selects his opponents speaks volumes about his abilities.”
Zhang appeared unfazed by the situation as Saudi Arabia began arranging numerous high-profile heavyweight fights. This development finally provided him with a clear path to reach the pinnacle of the division.
Zhang expressed his interest in facing the top-ranked contenders. “Without a doubt, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk hold the positions of number one and number two in the world rankings, and I’m determined to fight them. Additionally, Agit Kabayel, who holds a high rank, could also be a potential opponent for me. Another option that I’m considering is a rematch with Parker.”
In March, Zhang suffered a majority decision loss against Joseph Parker, which took place during the Ngannou vs. Joshua event. It’s evident that Zhang is determined to redeem himself in this rematch. Given that Fury and Usyk are currently engaged in their own bout, and Joshua will face the winner, a rematch with Parker seems like the most suitable option for Zhang at this time.
