Top Rank signs Chinese Olympic Gold Medalist Boxer Zou Shiming

Professional boxing is slowly penetrating the Chinese market and the signing of two-time Olympic gold medalist Zou Shiming with Bob Arum’s Top Rank Promotions is just the latest move in the sport’s direction.

According to a press release by Top Rank, the signing was announced by Arum at a press conference at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beijing.

“Zou is an incredible talent who is beloved in the People’s Republic of China,” said Arum.  “We at Top Rank will make every effort to make certain that he has a spectacular career as a professional boxer.”

At the ripe age of 31, most professional boxers are already at the peak of their careers but Zou is just about to start his. However, he can fasttrack his way into a world championship like the paths the Cuban fighters have taken.

Former Cuban amateur boxer Guillermo Rigondeaux for example took only three fights to win a minor NABA title, seven fights to win the interim WBA super bantamweight title, and nine fights to win his first world title.

Zou has a sterling amateur record. He won gold medals in the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics while also garnering a bronze medal in the 2004 games. Aside from his Olympic success, Zou also won the gold medal in the World Amateur Championships in 2005, 2007, and 2011. In his his long amateur career, Zou has scored victories over US Olympian Rau’shee Warren, Cuban Olympic gold medalist Yan Barthelemy, and Filipino Harry Tañamor.

The popular Chinese fighter will make his debut on April 6 at the Venetian Macao Resort Hotel in Macau. The card could also feature Brian Viloria’s first defense of his unified WBA and WBO titles, which is also another attempt for boxing to capture the Chinese market.

Less than two months ago, Xiong Zhao Zhong (20-4-1, 11 KOs) became China’s first ever boxing world champion when he won the WBC minimumweight title over Mexico’s Javier Martinez Resendiz. Even though Filipino fighter Denver Cuello was in line to challenge for the WBC title, the Mexico-based boxing organization decided to pay Cuello a step-aside fee because they did not want to miss the chance to penetrate the Chinese market by crowning their first world champion.

via Top Rank signs Chinese Olympic Gold Medalist Zou Shiming | Sports | GMA News Online | The Go-To Site for Filipinos Everywhere.