Column | Why going it alone could prove to be a bad idea for Zou Shiming
Two-time Olympic gold medallist and poster boy of China’s boxing scene puts his world title on the line next week, but he’s been left in a vulnerable position for the first time
Remember the original Rocky movie? The scene when Apollo Creed is busy wheeling and dealing over his desk and one of his trainers, intrigued by Balboa punching cow carcasses on the TV news report remarks: “You better see this. He means business” by which Creed angrily retorts: “No, I mean business!”
The movie, as we all know, is one of Hollywood’s beloved fictional sports movies, but it seems the scene is being played out in real life in Shanghai where China’s golden boy, Zou Shiming, is preparing to make his first WBO world title defence.
Creed narrowly won his first fight against Rocky by points – he lost the title to Rocky in Rocky II – but the movie depicted Creed as a boxing entrepreneur, who underestimated his opponent.
Zou is the two-time Olympic gold medallist turned professional fighter, turned professional flyweight champion and he treads into unknown territory after he made the announcement this year that he was going to be his own man and promote his own fight as he steps into the ring for the 11th time on July 28.
Zou raised eyebrows by refusing to renew his contract with US promoters Top Rank, who helped him make the transition from top amateur to leading professional in less than four years. But Top Rank will, this time, not help the 36-year-old Zou in any shape or form – nor will his long-time Chinese sports agent and marketing partner, Seca.
