Zou taking dead aim at world title

Sparring with Pacquiao to prepare for Nov 5 bout

Like a gunslinger bracing for one last showdown, Zou Shiming knows his time is running out. It's high noon, and he's almost out of bullets.

On Nov 5 in Las Vegas, China's double Olympic gold medalist will roll the dice on his second crack at the world flyweight championship, on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao's WBO welterweight title clash with Jessie Vargas.

A win would allow Zou to reload. A loss would all but bring down the curtain on his punch-for-pay career.

At 35 years old and with less than 10 pro fights, Zou (8-1) is hardly a typical world title challenger. His last bout was in June, when he made his US debut as the first Chinese boxer to fight a 10-rounder at New York's iconic Madison Square Garden and won an easy decision over Hungary's Jozsef Ajtai (15-2).

But when Zou takes on Thailand's Prasitak Papoem (39-1-2, 24 KOs) for the vacant WBO world championship at the Thomas & Mack Center, both men will be looking to improve on what transpired in their first meeting two years ago in Macao, which saw Zou pound out a 12-round decision for the WBO International belt.

In that fight, Papoem - then known as Kwanpichit Onesongchaigym - repeatedly resorted to what Zou's Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach labeled "dirty tactics."

"He's dirty as hell," Roach declared when the rematch was confirmed last month.

"The last time we fought him, Prasitak was head butting and landing low blows throughout the whole fight. I've warned my guy to be ready to respond this time."

Zou said he knows he has to be even better than he was in their first fight - and much better than he was in his initial try for a world title, a lopsided 12-round loss to then IBF champ Amnat Ruenroeng in March of last year.

"My first world title fight was not as successful as I had hoped, so I have focused even more on developing and improving myself both mentally and physically to meet the challenge of fighting for the world championship again," Zou said.

Meanwhile, Papoem is unfazed by the prospect of a rematch replay.

"He is rated No 2 and I am rated No 3, but that is the only thing that has remained the same from our first fight," the Thai said.

"Today I am a much different fighter than the man Zou defeated in Macao two years ago. I have knocked out 11 opponents in a row since then and I have developed elephant-strength punching power. I look forward to avenging my only loss."

Roach said he plans to have Zou spar with Pacquiao, who arrived in Los Angeles from the Philippines last weekend. Both fighters are putting the final touches on their training at Roach's Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.

"I'll have Zou spar with Manny so we're extra prepared," Roach said. "I've been training Manny for 15 years, and even after all that time he still amazes me. He's pushing 38 and he still outworks every fighter I've ever worked with. You have to see it to believe it." Pacquiao, seeking his ninth world championship, is 58-6-2, with 38 KOs. Vargas, a native of Las Vegas, is 27-1, with 10 KOs.

The third world title bout on the Nov 5 card will see Nonito Donaire of the Philippines (37-3, 24 KOs) put his junior featherweight crown on the line against Jessie Magdaleno (23-0, 17 KOs) of the US.

murraygreig@chinadaily.com.cn