British boxer, Anthony Joshua has advised Deontay Wilder not to be too hasty in his decision to quit after he was knocked out in the fifth round of his fight with Zhilei Zhang in Riyadh on Sunday.
Wilder tried to start spritely in the fourth and fifth rounds, but he lacked that lethal punching prowess he is known for instead opting for a more cautious approach.
Wilder was left dazed after having his head bounced off the ring mat.
The former WBC champion would eventually succumb to the constant pressure from the Chinese as he fell to the canvas, leaving him dazed and facing a seemingly impossible recovery battle.
The American tried to beat the referee’s count but was left on the receiving end of a devastating stoppage.
Before the fight, Wilder suggested that a loss to Zhang could mean the end of his career.
But Joshua suggest the decision should be cautious: ‘I just look at and say, ‘if you want to do it, do it’, it’s not a big deal boxing, if you want to fight, fight on, and if you don’t want to do it, don’t do it any more, it’s just where your heart’s at.
‘He went in there against a good fighter in Zhilei, he’s an Olympian, Zhilei, people forget that, he’s come through, he’s got a great style.
‘I fought him before in the Olympics and he’s still doing what he does now, so many years on. He was in with a real good, seasoned professional with a great pedigree.
‘It doesn’t matter, come again if you want, and if you don’t, you’ve got your family there, there’s another life outside of boxing for him.’
