Wilder defeats Zhang by majority decision

Wilder lands right hand early, Zhang takes it to the scorecards

Deontay Wilder defeated Zhilei Zhang by majority decision in a heavyweight bout on June 1 at the Freedom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Wilder landed a good right hand early, which seemed to energize him, as he started throwing several more rights. Zhang was able to take the punches and land some of his own, but Wilder was the more aggressive fighter throughout the bout.

The judges scored the fight 114-112, 114-112, and 113-113, with one judge having it even. The 6-foot-6 Zhang weighed in at 282 pounds, 68 pounds heavier than Wilder, who weighed in at 214 pounds.

The fight was confirmed on April 15, 2024, and was Wilder's first fight since losing to Tyson Fury in October 2021. Zhang was coming off a win over Derek Chisora in December 2023.