Roach irons out Zou’s amateur mistakes ahead of pro debut

Double Olympic boxing gold medallist Zou Shiming admits he has a lot to learn ahead of his professional debut next month but the Chinese flyweight enjoyed the best possible education from hall of fame trainer Freddie Roach on Wednesday.

Having bossed the amateur circuit, where he also claimed three world championships, Zou will enter the paid ranks on April 6 when he faces Mexican Eleazar Valenzuela in a four-round bout in Macau.

Zou has prepared for the contest in the United States and on Wednesday was put through his paces at Roach’s famed Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California and sparred with WBA and WBO flyweight champion Brian Viloria.

Zou’s amateur success was built on lightning quick hand speed, body swerving elusiveness and his ability to throw punches from all angles but that style could come unstuck against heavy-punching professionals.

American trainer Roach, who has worked with some of the sport’s greats including multiple world champions Bernard Hopkins and Manny Pacquiao, believes the 31-year-old Zou has room for improvement.

“For him to come into this venue like this, with Brian Viloria being his number one sparring partner and flyweight champion of the world and probably someone who he may be after some day, it’s great for him and he has learned a lot,” Roach told Reuters TV.

“He has a lot of potential but he still makes a lot of amateur mistakes. He has a lot of bad habits, but we are getting rid of them slowly. He’s becoming a very good fighter,” the American added.