Zhilei Zhang, a heavyweight contender, believes that his old amateur rival Anthony Joshua has been avoiding a fight with him and will continue to do so in the future. Despite initial talks of a potential bout, which included mentions of Joshua defending his titles against Zhang in China during their time under Eddie Hearn’s promotion, the matchup never materialized.

Since their Olympic encounter in 2012, Zhang’s career has progressed significantly. He notably defeated Joe Joyce twice and recently knocked out Deontay Wilder at the Queensberry’s ‘5 v 5’ event. Despite his accomplishments, Zhang insists that Joshua has never shown interest in facing him.

In an interview on The MMA Hour, Zhang confidently stated, “Mark my words, he’s not fighting me. He’s not going to fight me, ever.” He attributed this reluctance to Joshua’s avoidance tactics since their Olympic clash and his perception that Joshua prefers easier opponents, evident in his recent fights against the likes of Francis Ngannou and Robert Helenius.

Reflecting on Joshua’s choice of opponents, including his recent matchup with Ngannou from the UFC, Zhang emphasized, “I don’t think he has what it takes to stand up to me. The way he picks his opponents says a lot about him.”

Joshua’s recent victory over Ngannou in a boxing match was seen as a mismatch by many, underscoring Zhang’s belief that Joshua prefers less challenging adversaries.