Wilder, who has now lost four out of his last five trips to the ring, came into this fight with the idea of retirement already on his mind. That’s never good for any boxer, especially one in the heavyweight division champions boxing matched up against a proven killer like Zhang. Unfortunately for Wilder, Saturday night didn’t result in the swan song he had hoped.
Tyson got the tattoo done a week before the fight, and because of his lack of conditioning, he was asked to cancel the fight. However, Tyson decided to go forward with it and broke everyone’s expectations by defeating Etienne in 49 seconds.
The 32-year-old Yarde is now 24-3 (23 KO) with an entirely predictable sort of win over the 40-year-old Silva (22-9, 12 KO), who isn’t even really as good as that fluffed-up record would make you think at a glance. He’s a club-level fighter who, to give him the respect due, made weight and showed up and gave Yarde a fight after the original opponent was out of the picture. It proves nothing for Yarde, but he got a camp in and got active, and now looks ahead to 2024.
The timing and choice of the tattoo sparked widespread speculation. His coach, Jeff Fenech, suggested to Fox Sports, the tattoo was more than aesthetics, hinting at Tyson’s reluctance to fight: “I thought we are fighting in a week, and when you get a tattoo, you can’t fight because they snap up and it wouldn’t be healthy to do that. We sat down and spoke, and he didn’t really want to fight and he wasn’t prepared to, and that was one of the reasons he got the tattoo.” The fight was even cancelled once, as his coaching team thought that his lack of conditioning could lead to him losing the fight. Yet, Tyson defied doubts, ended up fighting Clifford, decisively ending the bout with Etienne in a mere 49 seconds, showcasing his undiminished prowess.
For the most part, Wilder looked sluggish and didn’t land much of anything as he attempted to score his patented power punches. This allowed Zhang to take control early on and set Wilder up for a finish in the fifth. Zhang connected on a big right hand during an exchange inside that badly hurt “Bronze Bomber.” Wilder was stunned and oddly turned around and started to walk away from the action. Zhang quickly chased him down and scored a final right hand that put a stop to the main event.
Since then, Tyson has insisted his situation has improved and even claimed to be feeling “100%.” A new fight date for Paul versus Tyson has been set for November 15. Those who purchased tickets for the original date have until July 8 to request a refund. Also, fans will be able to watch Paul and Tyson fight exclusively on Netflix.
A similar round to the fifth, with Joseph Parker again edging the action on account of being the busier fighter. He twice experiences success focusing on Zhilei Zhang’s body and the 40-year-old is beginning to look a little laboured.
So much pawing from both men. Zhang swings a left up top but Wilder ducks under and clinches. Fast right hand from Wilder just misses. Another miss from Zhang and Wilder grabs. Statistically these men are No. 1 and No. 3 for least punches thrown in boxing and it’s showing early.
However, the fight has now been confirmed to be taking place this November by Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), the company organizing the occasion. The event will still take place at the 80,000-seat AT&T Stadium – home of the Dallas Cowboys – in Arlington, Texas, with streaming service Netflix retaining exclusive broadcast rights.
The tattoo serves as a visual symbol of Tyson’s journey from troubled youth to world icon. It symbolizes resilience, strength and the ability to overcome adversity – themes that resonate deeply with Tyson and his fans.
On April 29, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations confirmed it approved the fighters’ request, and the bout will be a sanctioned, professional fight. The bout will consist of 8 2-minute rounds with 14-ounce gloves.
9:12pm BST/5:12pm ET: That’s something for the admirably durable Dovbyshchenko to tell the grandchildren about one day as he battles to the final bell without suffering a knockdown. Itauma seemed to enjoy the chance to showcase his skills, never really pushing for the stoppage until the final seconds. It’s still hard to tell against an opponent of limited ambition, but Itauma absolutely looks to the real deal – a beautifully well-rounded boxer who lives up to the sparring stories that are already the stuff of legend. Remember the name.
Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He’s great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.