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Unus Alladin

Newly crowned world champion Sho Kimura said he was living the dream and that his huge upset victory against China superstar Zou Shiming still hadn’t sunken in as the Japanese returned to a hero’s welcome over the weekend.
Kimura became Japan’s 11th active boxer to currently hold a world title after he stopped China’s two-time Olympic gold medallist in the 11th round of their 12-round World Boxing Organisation (WBO) flyweight world title bout at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Centre.
“I can’t believe I have done it. My dream was to win the world title,” said 28-year-old Kimura, who was met by a horde of reporters and well-wishers upon his return to Tokyo.
Watch: Sho Kimura knocks out Zou Shiming in the 11th round


“I’ve only slept an hour after winning the fight. The feeling of winning is surreal. It still hasn’t sunk in but it will after a few days. I am proud to have the world championship belt,” he said.

Kimura’s massive upset win on Friday night gives Japan three out of the four belts in the flyweight division, joining Daigo Higa (WBC) and Kazuto Ioka (WBA) as world title holders.
Kimura’s win, described as one of the biggest upsets in Japanese boxing history, was so much more gratifying as he overcame a vociferous 9,000-plus pro-Chinese crowd. He also fought with a cut right eye for almost 11 rounds.
I might not return to the ring, admits China’s Zou Shiming after surprise WBO title defeat by Japan’s Sho Kimura
“I couldn’t really see after my eye was cut in the third round [from an accidental head butt],” revealed Kimura.
“I had few supporters in the stadium against so many for Zou Shiming. But I had the confidence to win. I knew I had to give it my all even when I was hurt, even when I couldn’t really see properly.
“That was a setback at first and something I had not expected. There was so much blood pouring out from my right eye that it was obscuring my vision.

“I had to move forward and I kept piling the pressure and kept punching.
“When I sensed Zou Shiming was getting tired, I just knew that was my chance. I backed him against the ropes and let him have it. I couldn’t stop. I just knew he was going to go down, he was exhausted,” said Shimura. “I was still feeling good in the 11th round and was ready to go the distance.”
This one’s for mum, says ‘poor’ Sho Kimura ahead of world title showdown against Zou Shiming
Kimura, who raised his record to 15-1-2, also delivered on his promise by winning in honour of his late mother, who died when he was just 20 years old.
The Tokyo-based fighter said he was struggling financially and that he was working part-time delivering beer in a restaurant. But he’s likely to quit his job as he looks forward to a lucrative career as the new world champion.
“When I won the [WBO] Asia-Pacific belt, I put the belt on my mother’s grave. I am going to put this belt on my mother’s grave,” said Kimura, who lost his mother when he was 20 years old.



On this day: Zou Shiming wins China’s first Olympic boxing gold at Beijing 2008 Games

Xiong Chaozhong – the coal miner turned pro boxer who became China’s first world champion

Yes, Xu Can! China’s latest boxing star to put world title on the line in May

I’m not ready to quit the ring ... boxing is an old friend, says recovering Chinese star Zou Shiming

Zou Shiming

It hasn’t sunk in yet, says world champion Sho Kimura after huge upset win over Zou Shiming

Japanese ‘no hoper’ reveals his vision was obscured by a cut eye but he knew he was going to wear down the tiring Chinese fighter and score an upset victory

Sho goes to a neutral corner: Japan's Sho Kimura is ordered by referee Danrex Tapdasan to go to a neutral corner after knocking out China's Zou Shiming in their WBO flyweight title fight in Shanghai. Photo: Sho Kimura/Facebook. 31JUL17. Handout

Sho Kimura and his followers after winning the WBO flyweight title in Shanghai. Photo: Sho Kimura/Facebook. 31JUL17. Handout

Sho Kimura fight: Sho Kimura throws a right hand against China's Zou Shiming during their WBO flyweight title fight in Shanghai. Photo: Sho Kimura/Facebook 31JUL17. Handout

Sho Kimura lands a straight right against China’s Zou Shiming during their WBO flyweight title bout in Shanghai. Photo: Sho Kimura/Facebook

I might not return to the ring, admits China’s Zou Shiming after surprise WBO title defeat by Japan’s Sho Kimura

China's Zou Shiming speaks to the audience after losing his WBO world title fight in Shanghai. Photo: Handout

Blood pours down the face of Japan's Sho Kimura during his WBO world title fight against China's Zou Shiming in Shanghai. Photo: Handout

CORRECTION - This photo taken on July 13, 2017 shows Chinese boxer Zou Shiming (R) training at a gym in Shanghai. He is a two-time Olympic gold medallist and reigning world champion, but Chinese boxing star Zou Shiming is eyeing an even greater prize: making the sport big in his homeland. / AFP PHOTO / STR / TO GO WITH Box-CHN-fly-Zou,INTERVIEW by Peter STEBBINGS / "The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by STR has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [July 13] instead of [July 12]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We

Zou Shiming and Sho Kimura in Shanghai

Japan's Sho Kimura during warm-up in his fight against Zou Shiming. Photo: DEF Promotions

Massive upset as Japan’s Sho Kimura stuns China’s Zou Shiming to claim WBO world title in Shanghai

Zou Shiming and Sho Kimura in Shanghai during Friday’s official weigh-in. Photo: DEF Promotions

Sho Kimura

Zou Shiming v Sho Kimura scorecard

Poster of the boxing match of Zou Shiming in Shanghai on 28 July, 2017. 28JUL17. Handout.

This one’s for mum, says ‘poor’ Sho Kimura ahead of world title showdown against Zou Shiming

China's Zou Shiming and Japan's Sho Kimura at the weigh-in for their WBO title fight in Shanghai. Photo: DEF Promotions

This photo taken on July 12, 2017 shows Chinese boxer Zou Shiming (L) training at a gym in Shanghai. He is a two-time Olympic gold medallist and reigning world champion, but Chinese boxing star Zou Shiming is eyeing an even greater prize: making the sport big in his homeland. / AFP PHOTO / STR / TO GO WITH Box-CHN-fly-Zou,INTERVIEW by Peter STEBBINGS

China's Zou Shiming and Japan's Sho Kimura weigh-in in Shanghai for their WBO flyweight bout. Photo / DEF Promotions

Zou Clash in Cotai

Sport

Boxing

China

Japanese ‘no hoper’ reveals his vision was obscured by a cut eye but he knew he was going to wear down the tiring Chinese fighter and score an upset victory
