Following Zhang’s victory, reports stated that a bout between himself and Tyson Fury were being discussed. On 29 June an immediate rematch was announced for 23 September at Wembley Arena in London, England for the same title. Tyson Fury took to social media to offer Joyce sparring following the announcement.
The only thing George feels Zhang is lacking is an opportunity. Zhang (19-0, 15 knockouts) is back in action on September 28 in a scheduled 10-rounder against Don Haynesworth (15-2-1, 13 KOs) in Changsha, China. The fight will be televised there on CCTV, but isn’t being picked up in the United States or United Kingdom, the geographical regions where most of the top heavyweights are from. Despite holding a respectable looking record, Haynesworth’s highest-profile bout was less than a year ago when he was stopped in three rounds by Bryant Jennings.
Nassau said she remembers an “explosive” reaction to the trial from the Black community. It was also divided, with some people vocally siding with Tyson, believing the accusations were an attempt to negate his success.
Jake Paul replied, “I’m not gonna get the Tyson one, but Tyson, like, got his legendary tattoo; he just…” Lil Pump insisted; probably Paul needs it since he’s like one of the ‘faces of 4d boxing boxers names’. The Ohioan YouTuber-turned-boxer then shared, “So I’m just like, F*ck it, like, why not just do it because Tyson did it? It’s a story behind Tyson’s face tat is, it was like Wednesday of his fight week, and he just got it, and he showed up to the presser the next day with the face tat and he didn;t tell anybody. So I’m thinking about doing that in honor…”
On August 25, 2022, Hulu released a biographical drama limited series about Tyson, entitled Mike, depicting his life and career. On August 6, 2022, Tyson spoke out about the series, saying, “Hulu stole my story” and telling the service that “I’m not a n****r you can sell on the auction block.”
As part of his cleaning-up campaign, he has been adhering to a strict vegan diet for nearly two years, explaining that he doesn’t want anything in him “that’s going to enrage me — no processed food, no meat.” He says that he can no longer abide the smell of meat even on someone’s breath and has dropped 150 pounds since he weighed in at 330 in 2009. “I’ve learned to live a boring life and love it,” he declares, sounding more determined than certain. “I let too much in, and look what happened. . . . I used to have a bunch of girls and some drugs on the table. A bunch of people running around doing whatever.”
Pro boxing in China, long outlawed during Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution, experienced a brief renaissance (or a “Rebellion” as a New Yorker profile termed it) in 2013 when two-time gold medalist Zou Shiming signed with Top Rank and kicked off a series of Vegas-style boxing events in Macau. Zhang’s own introduction to the sport began many years earlier, when he watched the first meeting between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield in 1996.
“For my last fight, 60 million people in China tuned in to watch that, I believe we’ll make more history this time, I’m expecting 100 million, I have 1.4billion people behind me and supporting me, let’s make it happen. I’m fighting for my country.”
They reunited in October of 2017 when Zhang switched back to George after a stint with trainer Diego Rosario. Their first fight together in July, Zhang’s first in 10 months, resulted in Zhang’s sixth straight first-round knockout win. That’s more an indication of the level of competition he’s been fighting, but Zhang had been near an opponent befitting his aspirations a few days prior when he posed for photos next to Joshua at a press conference for the DAZN streaming app.
If he walks through any public area in his home country, he’s mobbed by admirers. At 6-foot-6, 260 pounds, Zhang draws attention with his pure physicality, but save for neighborhoods with big Chinese populations like Flushing, Queens or New York’s Chinatown, most see him as someone who looks like a somebody. They just don’t know who.
Neither man landing the same big shots they were previously. Plenty of jabs both ways. Good right hand from Dubois lands over the rop. Hrgovic is cut but that was from a headbutt. And Hrgovic lands two good right hands. Dubois lands one of his own but Hrgovic lands another one. The jabs have dropped off as power punches are now the round.
In another Memphis fight on February 22, 2003, Tyson beat fringe contender Clifford Etienne 49 seconds into round one. The pre-fight was marred by rumors of Tyson’s lack of fitness. Some said that he took time out from training to party in Las Vegas and get a new facial tattoo. This eventually proved to be Tyson’s final professional victory in the ring.
Zhang, like George’s situation, understands more English than he can speak, but when George corrects something that isn’t to the American perfectionist’s liking, Zhang responds, “Yes sir.” The goal, it would seem, is to have Zhang absorb George’s smooth, New York-style boxing to go along with his innate physical abilities.
