Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach believes a Zou Shiming victory in tonight?s ‘Showdown at Sands’ could be the start of a Chinese revolution of world champions coming through.
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.
?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.
?With the number of people they have in China, and the talent you have, there?s bound to be some world champions out there. I am a firm believer that champions are born and not made.
“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.
The American thinks a world title for Zou, aiming to be his 35th world champion as a coach, would inspire other Chinese people to take up the sport.
?If Zou does it, everybody else would want to do it. They are very competitive people.?
Roach said a Zou victory tonight would also rank ?high up? on his list of achievements with his prot?g? taking the shortest amount of time to win a world title as an Olympian. His previous Olympians ? Brian Viloria and Virgil Hill ? took four years and four-and-a-half years, respectively, to win world titles under his care.
?It will be way up there for me. The best thing about it is that he?s such a nice kid that I will be really happy for him,? said Roach of Zou, who is 6-0 with 1 KO and weighed in at 111.6 pounds on Friday. To win a professional world title in boxing is such a difficult thing to do Freddie Roach
?I think the athletes should be role models in life. There are a lot of people who look up to Shiming and to Manny Pacquiao. They are a lot of guys who look up to Floyd Mayweather. Which one you want your kid to be like?,? said Roach taking another swipe at Mayweather, who will fight Pacquiao in Las Vegas on May 2.
?People like Mayweather are a disgrace. Like who would want their kids doing what he does on TV, it?s just terrible. That?s why it?s so important for me to get Manny Pacquiao to beat him because it?s going to be a public service for the world to get rid of this guy. It?s not about what f****** street, and how many cars he owns and how many f****** guns he has.?
Roach was confident of victory tonight, saying Zou had ?improved a lot? from his last fight in November last year, where he was on the undercard of the Pacquiao fight against Chris Algieri.
?We concentrated on defence because at his last fight, Shiming was getting hit a lot. But he?s a great athlete and he?s got great footwork. We don?t want to stay in the pocket [stand his ground]. We are going to punch twice and get out, not three times.?
If Zou wins tonight, the 33-year-old from Guizhou will become the second Chinese boxer to win a professional boxing title after WBC (World Boxing Council) minimum weight champion Xiong Chaozhong, who retained his title last month.Meanwhile, Hong Kong star Rex Tso Sing-yu promised a great show as he prepares to take on Philippines? Michael Enriquez in his world eliminator bout. People like Mayweather are a disgrace. Like who would want their kids doing what he does on TV, it?s just terrible Freddie Roach
The Wonder Kid easily made weight (114.4 pounds) after having a good night?s sleep and promised fans an improved look as he steps up in his bid to win the vacant WBA (World Boxing Association) international super flyweight title. Enriquez came in at 114.2 pounds.
?Everything has gone so smoothly. I didn?t struggle to make weight like before and training had gone so well. I am in fantastic shape and I am confident of winning,? said Tso, who will earn a world title fight in July if he wins on Saturday.
