Zou Shiming will launch a boxing revolution in China, says Freddie Roach
Hall of Fame trainer believes victory in Saturday night’s 'Showdown at Sands' in Macau for China's golden boy could be the start of a Chinese revolution of world champions emerging
Speaking on the eve of the two-time Olympic gold medallist’s IBF (International Boxing Federation) world flyweight title bout against Thai fighter Amnat Ruenroeng, the coach of Manny Pacquiao, said China could have “four world champions right now”.
“This could be the greatest thing for China in a long time,” said the recently turned 55-year-old American, who has been Zou’s coach for about two years.
With the number of people they have in China, and the talent you have, there’s bound to be some world champions out there
“Shiming won gold medals and everybody is very proud of him in the amateur boxing side of it, but to win a professional world title in boxing is such a difficult thing to do and for him to do it in his seventh pro fight, I think he’s going to open up a lot of gyms,” said Roach.
The trainer noted there were two Chinese heavyweight prospects who were world future prospects – Chinese giant Taishan Dong and Zhang Zhilei, the Olympic silver medallist from the 2008 Beijing Games.
“Those two heavyweights on the east coast [based in the US] are pretty good. Dong is a good prospect, but he’s too damn big for boxing. He’s pretty athletic though,” Roach said of Dong, who stands at a towering 2.1 metres.
"You can teach him to do things as a trainer. I do think champions are a little bit special. I had 34 world champions in my lifetime and I didn’t make all those guys believe me. They kind of made me and I am thankful for that because it’s the best job in the world,” said Roach.