The intrigue of the Queensberry vs. Matchroom boxing card on June 1 has fans excited for the event, and all eyes will be on the heavyweight matchup between Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang. Wilder, 38, and Zhang, 41, will meet after years of existing at the top of the division, with the loser likely to contemplate retirement.
Ahead of the bout’s scheduling on June 1, Wilder and Zhang met face-to-face for one final staredown the day before the fight. Neither of the two biggest punchers of the night backed away from the face-off until the moment dissipated.
Wilder and Zhang will be featured in the penultimate fight of the evening. The main event title fight will have WBA and IBO light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol defending his belts against short-notice replacement Malik Zinad.
The final face-off had fans gushing with excitement, as one commented:
“Can’t wait”
Other fans commented:
“Wilder’s career ends tomorrow night”
“This gon be an insane fight”
“Wilder in 4… after party at the Excalibur”
View more fan reactions to Deontay Wilder vs. Zhilei Zhang below:
![Fans reacting to Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang facing off [via @michaelbensonn on X]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/06/84de5-17171999131360-1920.jpg)
Deontay Wilder’s championship run
Deontay Wilder will more than likely end his career without getting a second reign as the heavyweight champion, but his title run will always be remembered by fans.
In his first shot at a world championship, Wilder picked up the one and only decision win of his career by dethroning Bermane Stivone to acquire the WBC heavyweight belt. Over the next three years, ‘The Bronze Bomber’ would knock out one opponent after another, defending his title seven consecutive times by knockout.
However, Wilder would run into fellow undefeated heavyweight Tyson Fury in 2018 who nearly ended his reign in a fight that resulted in a controversial split draw. Two years later, after a pair of knockout wins for the American, Wilder and Fury met again, with ‘The Gypsy King’ finally becoming the WBC world champion.
Since his title reign ended, Wilder would lose another fight to Fury in an all-time classic battle. He would bounce back with a knockout of Robert Helenius in 2022 but disappoint fans with a lackluster decision loss to Joseph Parker at the ‘Day of Reckoning’.
