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18 Friday, February 6, 2015
SPORTSCHINA DAILY » CHINADAILY.COM.CN/SPORTS
Boxing
Mayweathernot welcomeDown UnderBy AGENCIES in Melbourne
The Australian tour of theworld’ s best poundforpoundboxer, Floyd Mayweather, wasindefinitely postponed onWednesday after the American, who has a history of violence toward women, wasunable to secure a visa fromimmigration authorities.
The undefeated fivedivision world champion wasbooked for dinner and nightclub appearances in Melbourne and Sydney onThursday and Friday.
The Immigration Department was still to give a decision on Mayweather’s visaapplication when promoterMax Markson announced theevents, including the dinnerscosting between $150 and$750, were unable to go ahead.
“Floyd will be announcingnew dates soon,” Marksonposted on his website onWednesday.
The original organizers hadalready pulled out citing constant date changes by the boxer’s representative.
TheDepartmentofImmigration is continuing to deliberatewhether Mayweather shouldbe allowed into the countrydespite a series of criminal convictions for domestic violenceand assault committed against several women.
The 37yearold spent twomonths in a US jail in 2012 afterpleadingguilty toassaultinghis former partner in front oftheir children.
In 2004, he received a oneyear suspended jail sentenceand was ordered to undergocounseling for “impulse control” after being convicted forpunching two women in anightclub.
The department has previously overlooked the criminalconvictions and dubious character of international celebrities, such as Mike Tyson andSnoop Lion (formerly knownas Snoop Dogg).
However, more recently, thedepartment revoked the visaof Julien Blanc, a “pickup artist” who advocated emotionally manipulating women intosex, after public protests.
A Change.org petition call
ing on Immigration MinisterPeter Dutton to reject Mayweather’s visa applicationreached 40,000 signatureswithin two days of its creationon Jan 29.
Mayweather was the world’shighestpaid athlete last yearafter his two fights earned him$119 million.
Hopes dampenedOver last weekdnd, May
weather dampened talk of apossible megafight agreement withFilipinoboxer Manny Pacquiao, a day after theAsian star’s promoter said adeal was near.
Mayweather posted a message on his Shots account thatsaid in part: “While they continue to lie about making thefight... I’m just going to continue to travel and explore theworld on my private jet.#FightNotMadeYet #Jamaica.”
Pacquiao promoter BobArum told the New York Poston Friday that he was optimistic a PacquiaoMayweatherdeal for a May 2 fight in LasVegas would be completed inthe next couple of days, withonly a few final details to besettled between rival telecasters HBO and Showtime, therights holders for Pacquiaoand Mayweather respectively.
Mayweather, who turns 38on Feb 24, left England’s AmirKhan hanging for monthsuntil announcing on his birthday last year that he wouldfight Argentina’s Marcos Maidana instead.
Mayweather wound upbeating the South Americantwice in 2014, but has yet totest himself against Pacquiaoor Khan.
Filipino southpaw Pacquiaois 575 with two drawn and 38knockouts while Mayweatheris 470 with 26 knockouts.Fans have sought a showdownbetween the two for five years,thus far in vain.
Zou focused on world title shotDouble Olympicgold medalistfulfilling lifelongdream on March 7
By AGENCE FRANCEPRESSE in Hong Kong
Double Olympic flyweightchampion Zou Shiming hasvowed to put China on theglobal boxing map by winninghis first professional worldtitle in Macao next month.
The 2008 and 2012 Olympicgold medalist was a threetimeworld champion in a gloriousamateurcareer,buthebelievesthat if he beats undefeatedThaiAmnatRuenroeng for theInternational Boxing Federation crown on March 7 he willfinally bring Chinese boxing tothe world’s attention.
“I swore to fulfil my dreamsto become a professional fighter, to achieve world titles andto bring China into the worldwide boxing family,” Zou toldAFP in an interview in LosAngeles.
Zou is currently trainingfor the fight at legendarytrainer Freddie Roach’s Wildcard gym in the US city.
The boxer denied thatfanatical support inhishomeland — where up to 300 million are expected to watch hischallenge for the IBF belt —was heaping pressure on him.
“The pressure doesn’t comefrom my home country, butcomes from myself and thatmade me enter the pro ring inmy thirties,” said the 33yearold who is from Guizhou province in southwestern China.
Veteran promoter BobArum has dubbed Zou “theposter boy” for the rise of Chinese professional boxing,where it was banned for decades for being too Westernand too violent.
“Zouis theenginebehindallof this activity in China,” said
Arum. “He’s the poster boy.”
Superstar statusZou is quickly assuming
superstar status following acameo appearance in the latest Transformers movie andafter starring in advertisements for Beats headphoneswith NBA icon LeBron Jamesand tennis legend SerenaWilliams.
His soaringpopularitybackhomewillhit thestratosphereshould he win at the VenetianMacao casino in the southernChinese gambling hub.
In just two years since Zou’sfirst professional fight at theVenetian’s Cotai Arena, thevenue has become the homeof boxing in Asia.
It has hosted all of Zou’s sixprofessional fights and twoworld title cards featuring theFilipino eightweight worldchampion Manny Pacquiao,regarded by many as the bestpoundforpound fighter of
the past 15 years.Zou’s last outing in Novem
ber—secondonthebill toPacquia’s demolition of ChrisAlgieri—sawhimgo12roundsfor the first time and batteranother experienced Thai,Kwanpichit Onesongchaigym,in a runaway points victory.
Zou (60, 1 KO) expects amuch tougher battle againstAmnat (140, 5 KOs) who ismaking his third defence ofthe IBF flyweight title.
The pair fought three timesin their amateur careers withZou winning the last twoencounters.
“He is as determined as meto win this fight. He is a toughfighter, and the professionalexperience should give him abit of an advantage,” said thesoftspoken Zou.
Fearless fighter“I have fought Amnat three
times and I am familiar withhis style. However he turned
professional years earlierthan me. This should bringme new challenges.”
The one downside of Zou’svictory over Kwanpichit was anasty gash over his left eye,which delayed the world titlefight by a month to give himtime to heal.
“The eye problem has beenfixed,” said Zou. “As a boxer,you will always taste blood.Cutsandinjuriesarecommon.If they scare you, you will never become a good fighter.”
Zou says his ultimatedream is to make it big in theUS and headline in Las Vegasfor a world title.
“Las Vegas is always the bigstage that all professionalboxers dream of,” he said.
“At the moment I am onlyfocused on March 7. I am notgoing tohangupmyglovesnomatter what result. I will tryhard to make different kindsof breakthroughs. Fighting inLas Vegas is one of them.”
China’s Zou Shiming competes against Thailand’s Yokthong Kokietgym in their flyweight bout in Macau in February 2014. Double Olympicflyweight champion Zou has vowed to put China on the global boxing map by winning his first pro world title in March. ALEX OGLE / AFP FILE
As a boxer, youwill always tasteblood. Cuts andinjuries arecommon. If theyscare you, youwill never becomea good fighter.”Zou Shiming
Boxer Floyd Mayweather attends a recent NBA game in Miami.AP FILE PHOTO
Klitschko ready to rumble with ‘Rocky’By REUTERS in New York
Longreigning world heavyweight champion WladimirKlitschko likens his next challenger, Bryant Jennings ofPhiladelphia, to Hollywood’sfictional Rocky Balboa.
But the38yearoldUkrainian who has ruled the division for nine years does notpredict a happy ending for
Jennings in their April 25clash at Madison Square Garden.
“I think Bryant is RockyBalboa,” Klitschko said onWednesday.
“He’s from Philadelphia.He’s someone who startedlate in boxing. He’s a top contender. I can see the desireand will, the way he carrieshimself. Makes me think this
fight is going to be exciting.This is his life’s chance.”
But Klitschko likes hischances as holder of five beltsand a 633 record.
“As the champion, I am theBad Man. I am the BaddestMan on the Planet in boxing,”said Klitschko, who has made17 title defenses — secondonly to the immoratal JoeLouis.
Jennings is 190, but at 63,225 pounds and wearing ablack tee shirt with “I MATTER!” lettered on the front,looked like a kid brother as hestared up at Klitschko forphotographers.
“I’m ready because I’ve gotto be ready,” said Jennings,30. “I’m big, I’m strong, I’mready ... and I’ve never beenbeat. It’s my time.”
Unified world heavyweightchampion Wladimir Klitschko(left) and challenger BryantJennings laugh duringWednesday’s news conferencefor their April 25 bout. Reuters
Stonefaced Holyfield stars in road rage spotBy ASSOCIATED PRESSin Atlanta
Flashing the same stonefaced glare that once was sofamiliar in the boxing ring,Evander Holyfield appearedheaded toward another fight.
This time the challengecame from a hottemperedmotorist who felt he had beencut off as Holyfield pulled outof a driveway.
The driver, unaware he wasabout to encounter theformer fourtime heavyweight champion, forcedHolyfield off the road andslammed his hand onto thehood of Holyfield’s SUV.
The enraged driver continued to yell curses and threats,demanding Holyfield get outof the vehicle. Holyfieldobliged, opening the door. Nolonger hidden by the SUV’s
tinted windows, he wasimmediately recognized andthe motorist backed away,mumbling “I didn’t know itwas you.”
It was an example of howroad rage can lead to unexpected big trouble — and itwasn’t real. Holyfield and hismisguided antagonist wereonly acting in a short publicservice announcement.
The closing message: “Avoidroad rage. You never knowwho you might run into.”
Holyfield had no speakingline in the new PSA, whichlasts about 30 seconds and issupported by several Georgialaw enforcement agencies. Hesaid he was happy to participate because he has seen roadrage up close, when he wasonly 17 and driving a beatupjalopy instead of a luxury SUV.
He said his car “just
stopped” in the middle of theroad and he was challengedby an older driver.
“Somebody was blowingtheir horn and they got outand they just talked to me any
kind of way, you know,” Holyfield said. “I fought then. Iwasn’t heavyweight champ ofthe world. I was 17, but I couldfight and the guy is talking allthis noise. He was probably
thinking I can’t fight. I was agood fighter. I was an amateur champion.”
Holyfield said he “did thewise thing” by rememberingadvice from his mother to“just chill.”
“But,youknow, inamomentIwasupsetandIknewthemancouldn’t whup me and I couldhave got out there and fought,but Iwasembarrassedbecausemy car was raggly and itstopped,” he said.
Holyfield, 52, officiallyretired in2014afterhavingnofights since 2011.
“It is a good place in my lifenow,” he said.
Part of his time is spentusing his celebrity to bringattention to causes. He madean appearance at NASCAR’sevent at Atlanta Motor Speedway in August as a spokesman for Feed the Hungry.
Evander Holyfield, the former world heavyweight champion, isseen in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, last month. Holyfield istaking part in a Georgia campaign to curtail road rage.RON HARRIS / AP
$119 million
Floyd Mayweather’s earnings lastyear in two fights, making himthe world’s highestpaid athlete.
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