Zhang banging on history's door

Chinese slugger moving closer to shot at world heavyweight crown

Zhang Zhilei is tantalizingly close to making boxing history.

China's 2008 Olympic silver medalist has scored five KOs in as many fights in 2017. If he keeps winning, the southpaw slugger from Zhoukou, Henan province, will go from pretender to contender - and could become the first Chinese to challenge for a piece of the fragmented world heavyweight championship.