Daniel Dubois Vs Zhilei Zhang In Discussion

Zhang’s recent activities

Zhang has been out longer. The 42-year-old was suspended by Ajit Kabyle in February 2025 on Riyadh’s season card. Chang scored a knockdown in the fifth, but the fight turned when Cabel committed to his body and kept him working close. Constant rib shots and fatigue took their toll on sixth place. Since then, Zhang has not returned to the ring.

The stylistic link between these two runs through Joyce’s air. Zhang Juice walked over twice and finished him off. By contrast, Dubois was broken by Joyce’s jab over ten rounds in 2020, suffering an orbital injury after repeated, precise lead use. The same vulnerability played out against Usyk in Poland in 2023, where another strike dropped him.

Force against force

Both men are heavy punchers who favor steady feet and mid-range exchanges. Dubois works best behind a strong, upright jab when he can get into shots. Zhang relies on timing and heavy hooks once he takes on opponents. The questions are clear. Can Dubois maintain his form once the pressure mounts and the exchanges are prolonged. Can Zhang keep up the pace after the middle rounds after long layoffs.

It’s a fight I’d like to see because it strips away the safety nets. There are no belts to hide behind. There is no long term fencing. Just two heavyweights who need to prove they can still hit and impose themselves when the ring gets small.