Zou Shiming wins debut pro fight

MACAU (AFP) –

A ring girl (C) displays a card showing the start of round two during a bout at the ‘Fists of Gold’ boxing event in Macau on April 6, 2013. China’s Zou Shiming celebrated victory in his debut professional fight on Saturday in Macau, but he did it the hard way, defeating little-known Mexican Eleazar Valenzuela on points.

China’s Zou Shiming celebrated victory in his debut professional fight on Saturday in Macau, but he did it the hard way, defeating little-known Mexican Eleazar Valenzuela on points.

The two-time Olympic champion and China’s first boxer to make it to the world stage won on a unanimous points decision, with all three judges giving him victory 40-36.

Wearing gold trunks, Zou, 31, let his opponent do all the work in the first round. Valenzuela went after the home hero, who danced and dodged past and under the Mexican’s wild shots.

Zou grinned broadly at one point as yet another Valenzuela swing hit nothing but air at a feverish CotaiArena at The Venetian resort-hotel.

But if Zou, his US promoters and the millions in China watching the fight live on television had been expecting a first-round victory for their man, they were disappointed.

The second round followed the same script, Valenzuela doing the work and Zou ducking and diving his way out of trouble, challenging his opponent to bring on more.

Halfway through the scheduled four rounds and things were not exactly going to plan for Zou and an electric home crowd, who had hoped for a quick win.

But the Chinese fighter showed plenty more in the third, rocking Valenzuela twice, first with a strong right and then a clubbing left, bringing the patriotic home support to its feet.

In the fourth and final round, Zou finally showed more ambition as he connected with some impressive body shots and hunted down a spectacular finish against the stubborn Valenzuela.