Zou's injury puts focus on big guys

Chinese heavyweights starting to attract some global attention

With the Zou show on temporary hold, China's boxing spotlight has shifted to a Great Wall of neophyte heavyweights.

Double Olympic gold medalist Zou Shiming (6-0) was scheduled to challenge undefeated IBF world flyweight champ Amnat Ruenroeng (14-0) on Feb 14 at the Venetian Resort in Macao, but the left eye injury Zou sustained in pounding out a 12-round decision over Kwanpichit Onesongchaigym (27-1) on Nov 23 has pushed the title bout back to March 8 at the Venetian.

"Zou could probably be ready in February but to be on the safe side we decided to delay it a few weeks," Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told boxingscene.com this week.

"I didn't want to take the chance of keeping the Feb 14 date and then having the cut above his eye open up again in training. This gives him another four weeks or so to make sure he's OK to start sparring.

"It's probably an unnecessary precaution, but it's such a big fight for China that I just wanted to be safe."

Meanwhile, while nothing has been signed there's speculation at least one of three Chinese heavyweight hopefuls could fight on Zou's undercard.

The biggest and youngest of the gargantuan trio is 7-foot, 285-pound Dong Jianjun - aka 'Taishan' - from Lanzhou, Gansu province, who now lives and trains in California.

The 26-year-old, who had no amateur experience, upped his pro record to 2-0 (2 KOs) with a first-round stoppage of American Tommy Washington (3-7) in San Francisco last month.

In August, 6-foot-6, 260-pound Zhang Zhilei from Zhoukou, Henan province, made his pro debut in Nevada with a sensational 17-second knockout of American Curtis Tate, who went in with a record of 7-4, including six wins by KO.

Zhang, a southpaw who won the super heavyweight silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, is 31. He lives and trains in New York as part of Dino Duva's Dynasty Boxing stable and has retained former world champion Evander Holyfield as an adviser.

The third tower in the Great Wall of Chinese heavy hitters is 6-foot-4, 255-pound Zhang Junlong from Qingdao, Shandong province, who on Nov 30 in Wuhan improved to 8-0 (8 KOs) by stopping American Jason Gervan (26-17-4) in three rounds to win the vacant - and lightly regarded - World Boxing Federation intercontinental title.

While the 35-year-old - nicknamed 'Dragon King' - is by far the most experienced Chinese heavyweight, his age and relative obscurity make him the least likely to be showcased on Zou's undercard. What favors Taishan and Zhang Zhilei is their association with high-profile US promoters who have already piqued the interest of fans by showcasing both men on North American television.

Taishan has signed with Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, and his first two fights aired live on the Fox Sports Network. Zhang's deal with Dynasty Boxing included televising his debut nationwide in the US on ESPN2.

"Taishan really has the goal to become a world champion," manager George Gallegos told boxing scene.com "Of course, the obvious interest at first was his height and enormous strength, and then I watched him on tape and saw his athletic ability, which is really off the charts.

"That kind of athleticism is exceptionally rare in such a big person. Plus, he has the desire. He's really an intense competitor."

Duva paints a similar picture of Zhang Zhilei.

"Mark my words ... once fight fans see what this guy is capable of, he will become the talk of the heavyweight division and all of boxing," the promoter said at their contract signing earlier this year.

"I really believe he could turn out to be the most important heavyweight to come along since Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko turned pro in 1996."

No matter which slugger steps up to the plate, Chinese boxing can look forward to a significant power surge in the months ahead.

murraygreig@chinadaily.com.cn