Difference between revisions of "Zou Shiming"
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Revision as of 08:14, 6 June 2012
Zou Shiming (邹市明) is a Chinese boxer who won China's first Olympic boxing gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. He was born in Zunyi, Guizhou Province on May 18, 1981 and started boxing training in 1996 at the age of 15. He was recruited to the national team in November 1999. The two-time world champion and Athens Olympics bronze medalist claimed the men's light fly 48kg crown at the Beijing Olympics, his first-ever and China's first Olympic boxing gold medal, as well as its 50th gold medal at the Games.
When he was little, Zou was actually little in size: short, thin, timid, and girly-looking. Being bullied by his stronger pals, even by girls, little Zou had the impetus to take up Chinese martial arts and boxing to make himself stronger.
In 1997, Zou was picked into the Guizhou boxing team in his hometown, and was chosen to the national team in 1999 after winning a national youth boxing championship.
The experienced coach Zhang Chuanliang saw merit in this little guy: thanks to his martial arts practice and light weight, Zou can move fast and punch quickly.
During training, the master and the student gradually combined Zou's kung fu skills into his boxing technique and created a distinctive way for him to evade opponent's attacks.
Using this unique "Kung fu boxing", Zou stunned the world during the 2003 Bangkok World Boxing Championship by winning a silver medal in the light flyweight category.
In the 2005 Mianyang World Boxing Championship, Zou beat his old rivalry from Cuba Yan Bhartelemy and won a gold medal.
In 2007, Zou became known as "Fox Zou" after successfully defending his title in the Chicago World Boxing Championship, and his boxing skill was vividly called "foxy boxing".
The British newspaper Guardian said Zou "fights like a sparrow and acts like [Muhammad]Ali.” Zou has become the actual king of his realm.
As the years passed, Zou deliberately focused training on his weakness: his punching power. After years of intensive training on muscle-building and punching, he gradually gained power on his attacks while still keeping up speedy footwork.
Now Zou has developed into a comprehensive boxer with good speed, power, tactics and a mature mind.
Major achievements:
2003 Bangkok World Boxing Championships – Runner-up
2004 Asian Boxing Championships – Runner-up
2004 Athens Olympic Games – Bronze medalist
2005 World Boxing Championships – Champion
2006 Doha Asian Games – Gold medalist
2007 World Boxing Championships – Champion
2008 Beijing Olympic Games – Gold medalist
2010 Guangzhou Asian Games – Gold medalist