I got dropped by Anthony Joshua but only lost because when I got up he ran away from me
ZHILEI ZHANG returns to fight in London for the first time since being put down by Anthony Joshua.
The 6ft 6in 277-pounder faces Joe Joyce at the Copper Box on Saturday night for the WBO interim title.
It comes 11 years after he boxed Joshua in the 2012 Olympic quarter-finals, losing in the super-heavyweight bout on points.
Zhang was floored with a right hand but claimed AJ coasted to safety when he got back to his feet.
He told : “From what I remember back then the venue was very full.
“I got dropped in the second round, I got up real quick, and then he started to run away for the whole of round three.
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“And then the fight was over, just like that. I lost by decision."
Joshua, 33, went on to win gold at the London Games, setting up a two-time world title winning career in the professional ranks.
Zhang, 39, captured silver and has championship aspirations of his own, starting on the weekend.
Joyce, 37, is the mandatory challenger for Oleksandr Usyk's title and will defend that position against Zhang, who predicts an all-out war.
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He said: “I think it’s gonna be an exciting fight too.
“We’re both strong, big punchers, it’s gonna be fireworks.”
Joyce recently knocked out Joseph Parker, 31, in September while Zhang lost a disputed decision to Filip Hrgovic, 30, a month earlier.
