Canelo vs Yildirim: Zhang Zhilei hospitalized after draw with Jerry Forrest

Zhang Zhilei’s complete cardio failure in last Saturday’s draw with Jerry Forrest may have been more than just a case of neglecting the treadmill.

Zhang’s advisor Terry Lane announced yesterday that they’d taken Zhang to the hospital after he showed “some concerning symptoms backstage.”

If the Tweet’s not showing up for you, Lane reports that while Zhang’s (22-0-1, 17 KO) neurological scans “are clear,” he was diagnosed with “anemia, high enzyme levels, and low-level renal failure that may have been caused by severe dehydration.”

Zhang, who went 10 rounds against Andriy Rudenko without issue at a career-high 278 pounds back in 2019, spent the first three rounds just beating the brakes off of Forrest to score three legitimate knockdowns. He spent the next seven in pure survival mode, ultimately losing a point for blatant holding that resulted in a majority draw.

Luckily, it seems as though Zhang isn’t in any immediate danger. Lane’s statement claimed he’d “spend a couple nights” in the hospital, meaning he’ll likely be out before midweek. Let’s hope we see the big man bounce back.