Zhilei defends WBO Oriental Title Against Haynesworth

Roc Nation Sports announced that Zhang Zhilei will make his triumphant homecoming in the ring this weekend.

Zhang Zhilei (19-0, 15 KOs) will return home to China on Friday, Sept. 28 to defend his WBO Oriental Heavyweight Title in a 10-round bout against Don Haynesworth (15-2, 13 KOs) in Changsha.

Zhang Zhilei, ranked No. 6 in the world by the WBO, won the WBO Oriental Heavyweight Title in January 2017 via a knockout over Australian Peter Graham.

His last fight on July 20, ended in a first-round KO over Eugen Buchmueller of Germany at the WinnaVegas Casino Resort in Sloan, Iowa. If Zhang wins his upcoming bout on Sept. 28 and retains the WBO Oriental Heavyweight Title, he will potentially fight on November 24 in Monaco against a world class contender on DAZN.

If he is victorious, he would then level himself up to boxing greats in hopes of competing for a World Heavyweight Title in 2019.

“We believe that Zhilei is ready to make his move against the top heavyweights in the world and fight for the World Heavyweight Championship sometime in 2019,” said Roc Nation Sports promoter Dino Duva. “He has worked very hard to get there, and I have complete confidence that he can make history as the first Chinese World Heavyweight Champion.”