Zou Shiming's pro decision will hurt AIBA Pro Boxing
By Felman Gingoyon
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 09 Feb 2013
The smoke is fading and all points indicate that the most accomplished and celebrated Asian amateur boxer of recent time, Zou Shiming of China will be turning professional. After months of speculation, it is now clear that the two-time Olympic champion and three-time AIBA World Amateur Boxing Championships gold medalist will turn pro in a huge fight card by Top Rank in Macau this April.
Excitement level is on the highest and sense of anticipation and eagerness will be tremendous, as probably the best Chinese amateur boxer takes his fistic talent into the pro ranks. The hype will be reminiscent to Oscar dela Hoya's pro debut back in 1992 after a successful Summer Games campaign in Barcelona. And not only that, adding spice to an already flavorful Bob Arum offering will be Brian Viloria's defense of his WBA and WBO superflyweight title against Mexican Juan Francisco Estrada in the mainer. Top-ranked ALA boy Milan Melindo and undefeated 10-0 (10 KO's) prospect Dodie Boy Penalosa are also scheduled to fight.
But what lingers inside a boxing observer's mind is what happened outside the square ring and before all these things came into fruition.
AIBA or the Association Internationale de Boxe Amateur, the world's governing body for amateur boxing will be launching APB (AIBA Professional Boxing) this year. They are aiming a gargantuan task of governing boxing in all levels, meaning amateur and pro boxing, in which they stated is to "guide" a boxer's career from the the start in the amateurs to the pro ranks.. This may also suggest that AIBA will be up against different boxing commissions and promoters worldwide. And having Zou out of the picture in the launching of APB will certainly hurt AIBA's cause. The huge Asian boxing market is certainly very interested with Zou in the pro ranks and he could have given APB a huge boost in the Asian scene given his bona fide star status.
After all these things happened, one may lead to ask this question, "Why AIBA was unable to lure Zou into APB, given the fact that he has been competing in amateur tournaments sanctioned and/or governed by AIBA"? Certainly a not so good start for AIBA and APB but they have stated that this will be a long-term process that only time can tell wheter this will be successful or not.
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