China's boxers to seek breakthrough at Asian Games

GUANGZHOU - China's boxers are expected to seek breakthrough at the Asian Games as the country is growing  interest in the fast development of boxing.    

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The Asian Games in Guangzhou will also see the women's fights for the first time after the competition was included into the  London Olympic Games in last August.    

China stunned Asia's traditional powerhouse Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,and Mongolia by ranking second last time in Doha after Zou Shiming (light flyweight) and Hu Qing (lightweight) winning their first two gold medals in 16 years.    

China's boxers followed that momentum at Beijing Olympic Games,topping the ranking with four medals including the first-ever gold from Zou.The boxing in China therefore enjoyed a rapid progress  since then.    

Despite another Olympic gold medalist Zhang Xiaoping is absent, host China, sending 13 women and men boxers to compete in all divisions,look further to cement their fast-growing reputation.    

Zhang Chuanliang,coach of China boxing team,said men boxers led by Zou Shiming and Beijing medalist Zhang Zhilei "are capable of winning at least two gold medals". The experienced coach insisted his boxers have improved a lot since Beijing Olympic Games and are competitive in both light and heavyweight categories.    

The lightning-quick Zou is considered the best in the world in  his weight class as he is seldom beaten after crowning at worlds in 2005. Zou's major opponent en route to defending is Purevdorj Serdamba of Mongolia, who lost to Zou in the final of Beijing Olympic Games.    

The 25-year-old Mongolian hit the form in 2009 by clinching the gold medal at worlds, whereas the 29-year-old Zou missed several big events after Beijing Olympic Games. "Zou's training is not systematical and his response and fitness have therefore declined," said Zhang.    

Olympic runner-up Zhang Zhilei is hoping to win China their first heavy weight gold in 20 years. The southpaw spent several months in the US following the coach of world pro heavyweight legend Evander Holyfield to prepare for the Asian Games.    

The Asian Games will have three categories for women– flyweight, lightweight and middleweight. The entry into the Olympics gives not only China's women boxing, but the whole boxing ring a huge boost.    

China collected one gold and two silvers at the world women boxing championships in September. However, Zhang Chuanliang still reckoned that China will encounter challenges from other teams as "the level in Asia is not far-off".