ZOU SHIMING TO FIGHT FOR VACANT WBA LIGHT FLYWEIGHT TITLE
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 21 May 2014
China?s undefeated two-time Olympic gold medal winner Zou Shiming who has a professional record of 4-0 with 1 knockout is being lined up for a shot at the vacant WBA light flyweight title against No. 1 contender Alberto Rossel of Peru.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum disclosed that ?if Zou wins his scheduled ten round fight on July 19 in Macau which will also feature (former WBO/WBA flyweight champion Brian Viloria) we are planning for him (Zou Shiming) to fight for the world title? on the November 16 card which is likely to be headlined by ?Fighter of the Decade? Manny Pacquiao.
It would be a sensational rise for China?s popular two-time Olympic gold medalist and three-time World Amateur Champion.
Zou was the first Chinese Olympic medalist when he won a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens which he followed up by winning the light flyweight gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics but although he repeated the feat in London in 2012 beating Thailand?s Kaeo Pongprayoon 13-10, the decision was booed by the fans.
The Manila Standard has learned that the WBA is almost certain to approve the title fight should Zou win his bout on July 19 in Macau with the understanding that the winner between Zou Shiming and Rossel for the vacant title will face the Philippines WBA No. 2 ranked southpaw Randy ?Razor? Petalcorin who is co-managed by multi-titled Australian promoter Peter Maniatis and GenSan?s Jim Claude Manangquil.
The 33 year old, undefeated Zou has a record of 4 wins with 1 knockout and is coming off a 7th round TKO of Thailand?s 19 year old Yokthong Kokietgym (15-3, 11 KO?s) last February 22 in Macau.
The 36 year old Rossel has a record of 32-8 with 13 knockouts and has won eight straight fights after losing to WBA super flyweight champion Hugo Cazares on April 14, 2012.
Rossel has successfully defended the WBA light flyweight title four times and in his last fight scored a twelve round unanimous decision over Gabriel Mendoza in Lima, Peru last March 8.
Petalcorin is 22 years old and has a record of 21-1- 1 with 16 knockouts and is the reigning PanAsia Boxing Association champion. He won his last title defense in a rematch against Thai veteran Samransak Singmanasak by a 3rd round TKO at the Malvern Town Hall in Melbourne, Australia on November 8, 2013 and in a non-title ten round rematch won by a 2nd round knockout on March 28 this year.
Zou Shiming has clearly improved with every fight under celebrated trained Freddie Roach who earlier predicted he would be a world champion before the end of the year.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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