JOSEPH PARKER GETS FULL RESPECT FROM ZHILEI ZHANG'S CORNER
Zhilei Zhang's Trainer, Shaun George, is adamant that his fighter is not underestimating Joseph Parker in their upcoming clash. George believes that Deontay Wilder overlooked Parker in their recent bout, which ultimately cost Wilder a lucrative showdown with Anthony Joshua. Zhang, the WBO interim heavyweight champion, is set to defend his title against Parker on March 8 in the co-feature of the Joshua vs. Ngannou card. "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," stated George. Wilder, the heavy favorite, suffered a surprising and decisive points loss to Parker, leading to speculation about his mindset and preparation. George suggests that Wilder may have underestimated Parker or had other factors affecting his performance. "There could be a lot of different things going on with Wilder right now. Maybe he has one foot out the door already. Everybody was talking about how happy he looked during that whole fight week, kind of kumbaya. So, it could’ve been a lot of different things. Or maybe he just totally looked past Parker, which he definitely did. He thought all he had to do was show up and then Parker was gonna fold," explained George. Zhang, coming off impressive victories over Joe Joyce, is not taking any chances and recognizes the former champion Parker as a serious contender. The trainer emphasizes the importance of respecting Parker's skill and experience in the heavyweight division. "Parker is a former WBO heavyweight of the world, so you’ve gotta treat him with respect. We’re gonna train with respect," concluded George. The Zhang vs. Parker fight is expected to be a significant showdown in the heavyweight division, with both fighters aiming to make a statement on the global stage.
