Don Charles speaks about Joseph Parker versus Zheilei Zhang

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LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 15: Zhilei Zhang celebrates victory while holding the Chinese flag and wearing the WBO Interim World Heavyweight belt following the WBO Interim World Heavyweight Title fight between Joe Joyce and Zhilei Zhang at Copper Box Arena on April 15, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by James Chance/Getty Images)

Heavyweight contender Daniel Dubois’ coach, Don Charles, said few things about the Francis Ngannou versus Anthony Joshua undercard match between Joseph Parker and Zheilei Zhang.

Parker handed former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder a surprising defeat on December 23, thereby earning opportunity for higher competitions in the division.

Zhang himself who is famously one of the most avoided of his class stopped Joe Joyce — who was still undefeated — twice last year.

Don Charles said the following to Boxing News concerning the future bout between the two:

‘He’s a big man, it’s a very good match-up. Joseph is going into this fight with a short pace in between so will use the momentum of the Wilder victory and take it into the Zhang fight. Very hard to call.

‘Joseph being the technical fighter he is, and Andy Lee, there’s a really good match up there, they understand each other. They’re going to devise another masterclass plan to negate Zhang and be successful but Zhang is no joke, he’s a serious heavyweight, a good fighter. I’m looking forward to it.’

Charles gave Parker and Andy Lee his trainer their flowers concerning the successful outing against USA’s Deontay Wilder.

‘I think it’s an intriguing fight and you have to commend both men, Andy Lee and Parker on the brilliant game plan they used against Wilder. I hold my hands up, I was wrong.

‘Parker was that good on the night with the gameplan he became the puncher on the night against a renowned puncher so who am I to doubt him against Zhang who is also a puncher and a southpaw.’

However, Zheilei Zhang’s coach, Shaun George, said his team will not underestimate Parker.

Speaking to BoxingScene.com, George said:

‘We’re not underestimating Parker.

‘Everybody just assumed immediately that Parker was shot, that he was gone and that he was done. Wilder looked like he didn’t wanna be there. We’re focused. Zhilei wants to be there.

‘He wants to be active and he just comes to fight. We’re coming to fight, coming to box and coming to win. And we wanna keep winning.’

The match comes up on March 8.

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