Wilder vs Zhang LIVE: Fight updates and undercard results as Queensberry thrash Matchroom

Re-live updates after Queensberry’s Zhilei Zhang knocked out Deontay Wilder, capping off a thrashing of Matchroom in Riyadh

Oleksandr Usyk details sacrifices made to prepare for victorious Tyson Fury fight

Zhilei Zhang knocked out Deontay Wilder in the fifth round on Saturday, as Queensberry thrashed Matchroom at a unique event in Saudi Arabia.

The card in Riyadh pitted Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom against Frank Warren’s company, with each promoter picking a five-man team.

American Wilder, a former world heavyweight champion, was Hearn’s captain but suffered a fifth-round KO by China’s Zhang, who capped off a dominant showing from his team.

Zhang, 41, spun around Wilder with a right hook then folded the 38-year-old with another at the Kingdom Arena. Wilder barely beat the referee’s count, but the fight was waved off as the “Bronze Bomber” staggered around.

Earlier in the night, Queensberry captain Hamzah Sheeraz stopped Austin Williams, Daniel Dubois beat Filip Hrgovic by TKO, Nick Ball dethroned WBA featherweight champion Ray Ford, and Willy Hutchinson easily outpointed Craig Richards. Those results, including extra points for captains and knockouts, led to a 10-0 win for Queensberry.

Furthermore, Dubois’s victory claimed him the IBF interim heavyweight title and seemed to set up a September clash with Anthony Joshua. Elsewhere on the card, Dmitry Bivol retained the WBA light-heavyweight belt by stopping Malik Zinad.

Re-live updates and see all results from the event below.

Wilder vs Zhang LIVE: Updates from Matchroom vs Queensberry fight card

• Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn and Queensberry’s Frank Warren, rival promoters, have picked teams
• WATCH: Zhang spectacularly knocks out Wilder in dominant win
• Queensberry 10-0 Matchroom: Zhilei Zhang stops captain Deontay Wilder to cap off thrashing
• Queensberry 8-0 Matchroom: Daniel Dubois stops Filip Hrgovic to seal team victory
• Queensberry 6-0 Matchroom: Captain Hamzah Sheeraz has points doubled after KOing Austin Williams
• Queensberry 2-0 Matchroom: Nick Ball wins razor-close title bout with Ray Ford
• Queensberry 1-0 Matchroom: Willy Hutchinson easily outpoints Craig Richards
• Separately, Dmitry Bivol stops Malik Zinad to retain WBA light-heavyweight title

[1 June 2024 22:26 · Alex Pattle]

Wilder vs Zhang LIVE: Updates from Matchroom vs Queensberry fight card

Round five

Lots of clinching early in the fifth. Williams slips to his left to evade a long, straight shot.

Sheeraz presses forward but is tagged by a cross. His right eye is starting to swell partly closed...

Still he marches forward, landing jabs.

[1 June 2024 22:21 · Alex Pattle]

Wilder vs Zhang LIVE: Updates from Matchroom vs Queensberry fight card

Round foour

Williams jabs to the body. He loads up on an overhand left but misses, but the next one lands! Sheeraz felt that!

The Queensberry man is holding on... The referee separates the boxers, and Sheeraz covers up for some time.

Snapping cross from Williams. This bout has already ebbed and flowed a fair bit, with Williams starting strongly, struggling in the third round, and coming back now.

[1 June 2024 22:17 · Alex Pattle]

Wilder vs Zhang LIVE: Updates from Matchroom vs Queensberry fight card

Round three

Right cross lands clean on the jaw of Williams, who then eats a jab.

Sheeraz misses with an uppcercut but lands the follow-up cross! Williams gasps and his legs buckle somewhat...

Sneaky uppercut from Sheeraz, nice work. OH! And a sharp left straight off the break of a clinch!

Now a right hand! Is he closing in on a win? Williams is taking these with less and less surety...

Again Sheeraz misses with an uppercut but lands the ensuing straight. OH! And one more on the bell!

WHAT a round for Sheeraz.

[1 June 2024 22:13 · Alex Pattle]

Wilder vs Zhang LIVE: Updates from Matchroom vs Queensberry fight card

Round two

A fair bit of holding, then both men land uppercuts after the break!

Clean overhand lands for Williams! And a cross, which has Sheeraz stumbling backwards!

Both men land long, straight shots late in the round.

[1 June 2024 22:06 · Alex Pattle]

Wilder vs Zhang LIVE: Updates from Matchroom vs Queensberry fight card

Round one

Sheeraz stands orthodox; Williams is southpaw.

Short cross for Sheeraz, who is the taller man. Williams with a lead right hook, then some stabbing jabs.

Sheeraz pumps out his own jabs. Decent cross as well. He puts together a few straight shots now, most of which are blocked.

[1 June 2024 21:50 · Alex Pattle]

Wilder vs Zhang LIVE: Updates from Matchroom vs Queensberry fight card

Next up, Queensberry’s Hamzah Sheeraz boxes Austin “Ammo” Williams of Team Matchroom.

Sheeraz, as Queensberry’s captain, will see his points doubled if he wins.

So, one point for a decision would become two; two points for a knockout would become four.

If he even gets a decision win, Matchroom will need something big from the last two fights...

They man end up leaning on their captain Deontay Wilder, in the main event...

[1 June 2024 21:40 · Alex Pattle]

Wilder vs Zhang LIVE: Updates from Matchroom vs Queensberry fight card

Nick Ball def. Raymond Ford via split decision (113-115, 115-113, 115-113).

And new WBA featherweight champion!

A fair score. I mean, a Ford win wouldn’t have felt unfair either; it was a great, close fight. But Ball did enough, in my view.

Queensberry 2-0 Matchroom now! Ball earns a point for that decision win, just like Hutchinson against Richards.

[1 June 2024 21:35 · Alex Pattle]

Wilder vs Zhang LIVE: Updates from Matchroom vs Queensberry fight card

Round 12

Final frame, and it might even come down to this!

Both fighters are just short with their shots. Ball pours on punches now, though, and Ford lands a perfect counter hook!!

Each man looked a little bit hurt in that moment! Great, long uppercut by Ball. More uppercuts and straights by the Briton.

OH! Ford has Ball on wobbly legs!! But Ball keeps throwing! His nose is STREAMING blood!

Both men land in a messy exchange before the bell!

Brilliant bout. It could go either way. It could be a draw. We’ll soon find out...

[1 June 2024 21:30 · Alex Pattle]

Wilder vs Zhang LIVE: Updates from Matchroom vs Queensberry fight card

Round 11

Into the championship rounds. Nice one-two by Ford, who then pings a cross at the ribs of Ball.

Ball with his own body jab. Great follow-up flurry from the challenger, too, as he pins Ford to the ropes.

This is exactly what Ball needs to do, if the score is as close as we think.

Greatttt combination by Ford, but Ball fires back with venom and volume! Brilliant stuff.

[1 June 2024 21:27 · Alex Pattle]

Wilder vs Zhang LIVE: Updates from Matchroom vs Queensberry fight card

Round 10

Ball sneaks in an uppercut. That’s been such a good weapon for him tonight.

Ball chases Ford around the ring now, trying to stop the champion from setting his feet.

Ford replies with a sequence of hooks, just about curving one past Ball’s guard.

Ford has really fought his way back into this one. I said at the start of round six, “If Ball can sustain this pressure, he’ll soon have a near-insurmountable lead,” but Ford found his feet at the right time, arresting that momentum.