Make-or-break fight for Zou

Zou Shiming is on the launch pad, and all systems are go.

But before the poster boy for Chinese boxing can activate the final countdown to a world title shot in November, there's one little hitch.

Like all elite fighters, Zou is programmed to not look past his next opponent - but thanks to Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, that has become a tall order for the flashy flyweight from Zunyi, Guizhou province.

With a 4-0 record since turning pro last year, Zou, China's double Olympic gold medalist and three-time world amateur champ, will fight his first 10-rounder against Colombia's Luis De La Rosa in the co-headliner on Top Rank's Champions of Gold card at Macao's Cotai Arena on Saturday.

De La Rosa (23-3-1, 13 KOs), ranked No 11 by the International Boxing Federation, is a three-time world title challenger with a bullish ring presence. He has banked 114 professional rounds compared to just 23 for Zou, and four of his past six victories have come by way of knockout.

In a recent interview with the Manila Standard, Arum stated that if Zou notches an impressive win over the Colombian he will be matched with No 1-ranked Alberto Rossel of Peru in a fall showdown for the World Boxing Association's vacant junior flyweight crown.

The current WBA rankings have Zou at No 6.

"If Zou wins, we are planning for him to fight for the world title on our Nov 16 card, which will likely be headlined by Manny Pacquiao," said Arum.

That means there's no wiggle room for the 33-year-old Zou, whose last fight was a seventh-round KO of Thailand's Yokthong Kokietgym on Feb 22. In terms of the Olympic champion's pro development, Saturday will either be the end of the beginning or the beginning of the end.

"Our plan all along was to be in a position for Zou to challenge for a world title within 18 months of turning pro, so we're pretty much right on schedule," trainer Freddie Roach said after the February victory.

"But from now on it won't be enough for him just to win - he has to win big. You don't get handed a world title shot, you have to earn it. A big win in his first 10-round will go a long way toward getting him there."

Saturday's co-main event will see Mexico's unbeaten Gilberto Ramirez (28-0, 22 KOs) defend his World Boxing Organization super middleweight title against New Zealand's Junior Talipeau (20-2-1, 7 KOs).

Talipeau is a former Australian middleweight champ who successfully defended that title five times during his two-year reign before moving up to the super middleweight division.

murraygreig@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 07/17/2014 page23)