TYSON FURY could be lured out of his latest retirement lull with a mega-money trip to China.
The cash-crazed 34-year-old WBC champ blew the Undisputed decider with WBA, IBF and WBO king Oleksandr Usyk by moving the goalposts over money.
GETTYZhilei Zhang produced a career-best performance to stop Joe Joyce at the Cooper Box[/caption]
GETTYThe Chinese clubber left Joe Joyce with a horrific eye injury[/caption]
GettyA fight with WBC heavyweight champ Tyson Fury could be on the cards for Zhang[/caption]
And the undefeated 6ft 9 showman has been missing in action ever since that rank disappointment stunk out the sport, taking in trips to Italy and Monaco.
But following his ruthless six-round slashing of Joe Joyce, Chinese southpaw sensation Zhilei Zhang is now a major heavyweight draw and overdue a fight in his home.
The 39-year-old 2008 Olympic silver winner used his monstrous left hand to leave the Juggernaut’s right eye a bloody mess and earn himself a promotional deal with Fury’s hall-of-fame matchmaker Frank Warren.
The Putney ace – who was finally getting the praise and profile he deserves – does have the right to a rematch and thankfully did not suffer any fractures to his swollen face.
But ‘Big Bang’ instantly turned his attention to a showdown with his new stablemate, with the 80,000-seater Beijing Bird’s Nest or the MGM casino in Macau possible venues for the giant showdown.
Zhang, who gets around 60 million compatriots watching his fights on TikTok, said: “If my team can get me the Fury fight, then let’s do that.
“Fury or the rematch, either way, I can do whatever they want.
“I believe I can beat Fury, I believe I can knock him out.
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“He doesn’t have the same chin that Joyce has, he will go down.”
It was horrible watching granite-chinned Joyce, 37, take such punishment right from the opening bell.
His freakish resilience meant he kept coming back for more and more of 19st Zhang’s savage left hands.
Dillian Whyte was ringside and the plan seemed to be for the Brixton Body Snatcher and Joyce to build a summer showdown.
But now the 2016 Rio silver winner – who was cruelly robbed of gold by corrupt judging – will have to rebuild after his infamously slow starts finally caught up with him.
Zhilei Zhang is confident he can hand Tyson Fury his first professional lossREX
Zhang is now a red-hot heavyweight commodity and should have an unbeaten record after a very dodgy Saudi Arabia decision cost him another high-profile win against Filip Hrgovic in August.
After a night of deserved celebrating and a trip to the London Stadium to watch West Ham vs Arsenal, Zhang manager Tommy Lane, son of American refereeing legend Miles, said: “Zhang Zhilei has taken on two really tough tests in the past year,
“That most top heavyweights have shied away from,and he beat both of them up.
“He deserves to be in the top five heavyweights in the world because he’s a real fighter who ducks no one.
“Tyson Fury should start acting seriously and put up or shut up. Let’s get it on!”