It?s often said that a good judge conceives quickly, and judges slowly.
And when initially viewing 6?11? Heavyweight puncher Tashian Dong, from the northwest province of Gansu, China, it?s difficult to make an insightful assessment of this giant prizefighter?s potential within the seemingly wide open Heavyweight division.
This evening on ?Fox Sports 1?, the always inquisitive fight public will finally get a glimpse of the prizefighter known as ?The Great Wall? within the boxing community in and around the Bay Area of Cali, as he makes his highly anticipated professional debut at the Longshoreman?s Hall in San Francisco.
Hall of Fame publicist Bill Caplan is excited to see how the hard punching specimen fares in the boxing ring. ?He?s [Taishan Dong] obviously big, but he?s super athletic,? claims the renowned boxing writer. ?I think he?s going to be sensational?I really do.?
Although Taishan is admittedly learning on the job, the knowledgeable fight scribe states that ?The Great Wall? is in very capable hands.
?His fight coach is John Bray, who is a veteran trainer and a former Heavyweight fighter himself,? states Bill Caplan.
?John told me that he?s never felt that kind of power from any other fighter he?s ever worked with in the past. That?s how powerful of a puncher Taishan really is.?
?Bray also told me that his fighter is so big and so powerful, with extremely heavy hands, that it?s been virtually impossible to find sparring partners for him. After watching Dong work the mitts with John, it?s easy to see why everyone is so excited to see this guy fight. He?s all muscle, and he?s not one of those lumbering giants who has very little hand/eye coordination. He?s very athletic.?
The 26 year old behemoth, who weighed in yesterday afternoon at a staggering 283 pounds, will face Alex Rozman (2-6, 1 KO) from Davenport, Iowa, in his first professional appearance.
Before anyone casts aspersions concerning the future of the Heavyweight hopeful, observers should be mindful that this ambitious young puncher has only been boxing seriously for a limited time prior to tonight?s contest.
Although Taishan is undoubtedly a work in progress, his handlers are extremely optimistic concerning his future in the sport.
?Sky?s the limit for Taishan Dong,? claims Bill Caplan. ?I think he?s eventually going to surprise a lot of critics.?
The fight card at Longshoreman?s Hall at Fisherman?s Wharf in San Francisco, California, is set to go down this evening at 6:30PM PST, and is being promoted by Paco Presents and Don Chargin Productions, in a collaborative effort with Golden Boy Promotions.
The televised portion of the fight card will begin at 10PM EST/7PM PST, and will be broadcast on Fox Sports One.
