Deontay Wilder will face Zhilei Zhang on 1 June after making shock move to Matchroom

American heavyweight Deontay Wilder has signed with Matchroom Boxing and will face Zhilei Zhang as part of the five-versus-five card against Queensberry Promotions on 1 June in Saudi Arabia.

Wilder's link up with promoter Eddie Hearn came as a surprise as Matchroom and Queensberry unveiled their fighters in the most spectacular fashion at a news conference in London.

The 10 fighters wore white masks before being unveiled one by one.

Heavyweight Daniel Dubois - the first to be revealed - will face Filip Hrgovic in a world-title final eliminator in Riyadh and Liverpool featherweight Nick Ball will challenge WBA world champion Raymond Ford.

A middleweight contest between unbeaten Londoner Hamzah Sheeraz and American Austin 'Ammo' Williams and an all-British cruiserweight bout between Willy Hutchinson and Craig Richards complete the line-up.

Wilder was the last man to be unmasked. He bellowed his trademark 'Bomb Squad' as a grinning Hearn pumped his fist.

"Nobody ever thought me and Eddie would be working together. This is the ultimate surprise," Wilder said.

Hearn added: "For one night only, we work together."

'This is my last chance' - Wilder

The Hearn and Wilder link-up is equally surprising, and demonstrates how any rift is fixable with Saudi influence.

They have been at each other's throats for the best part of decade as Hearn backed Matchroom's Anthony Joshua in a potential fight which has not yet materialised

Wilder - who has boxed primarily on Al Haymon's Premier Boxing Championship - was one of the most destructive power punchers in the division but has won just one bout since November 2019 and was outpointed by Joseph Parker in December.

"We'll see if I've got it or not. This fight I'm holding it as my last dance, my last chance," an emotional Wilder, 38, said.

"I lost my love and passion for this business. I lost my hunger for so many different reasons

"I'm not playing around this time. I've got nothing to lose."

'We're not friends really'

Matchroom v Queensberry will form the undercard to the undisputed light-heavyweight contest between undefeated Russian Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev, a blockbuster for the boxing purists.

"It's the best fight in boxing," Hearn said as the two Russians took to the stage in London.

After a traditional style news conference for Beterbiev-Bivol, the event soon turned into The Masked Singer meets WWE.

Hearn and Warren talked up the undercard as the masked fighters waited patiently. Not everything went to plan, however, as the Matchroom boss prematurely mentioned the still masked Ball's name.

The rivalry between Britain's two biggest promotional companies in the sport dates back to the 1980s, when Hearn's father Barry was at the helm for Matchroom.

"Growing up as a kid I'd hear the name [Warren] on the phone. It wasn't always pleasant but I'd hear them arguing," Heard said.

Hearn and Warren - who had reportedly never met until last year - were brought together by Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia's general entertainment authority.

Alalshikh - with the riches of Saudi Arabia behind him but under the backdrop of sports washing accusations - convinced the two to bury the hatchet.

"We're not friends really, I want to absolutely destroy Queensberry," Hearn added, tongue-in-cheek.

With bragging rights at stake, one point will be awarded for a decision win and two points for a knockout or technical knockout, with captains' points worth double.

Hearn selected Wilder to lead his team, with Queensberry's Sheeraz skippering for Warren.

The only real needle between the two teams came in an exchange between Londoner Dubois and Croatian Hrgovic as they discussed sparring together.

"I'm a different animal now," Dubois said.

Hrgovic replied: "I hope he's changed otherwise he will last one round only. That sparring wasn't good for him."

The winner could face Anthony Joshua for a vacant IBF title later in the year.

Current IBF champion, Oleksandr Usyk, will face Tyson Fury for all four world titles in May. A two-fight deal is in place, meaning a sanctioning body is likely to force the winner to vacate.