appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Agence France-Presse

Chinese boxing star Zou Shiming vowed Monday to “fight until my last breath” to recover the title he lost in Shanghai when he was knocked out in his first defence of the WBO flyweight crown.
Two-time Olympic gold medallist Zou was a strong favourite to beat Sho Kimura on Friday, but he ran out of juice as the fight wore on and the younger Japanese silenced a rowdy home crowd with an 11th-round upset victory.
Zou, whose professional record now stands 9-2 (two KOs), might be in the twilight of his career at 36 but he still wants his belt back.
“I believe in fate, but am not resigned to it. I will go on fighting until my last breath,” he posted early on Monday on Weibo, China’s equivalent of Twitter.
“A man must keep fighting to recover what he has lost.”
Zou won the vacant World Boxing Organisation (WBO) flyweight belt in November in Las Vegas, but since turning professional in 2013 he has largely failed to replicate the dominant form of a hugely successful amateur career that included two Olympic golds and three world titles.
It hasn’t sunken in yet, says world champion Sho Kimura after huge upset win over Zou Shiming
Zou was too clever for the less experienced Kimura, 28, in the early rounds of Friday’s bout but the Japanese – a part-time restaurant worker – kept coming forward and refused to be put off by a nasty wound he sustained above one eye.
Kimura, who improved to 15-1-2 (eight KOs), unleashed a flurry of punches in the 11th that stunned Zou, sending him to the canvas.
Zou, who was promoting himself for the first time after parting with US promoters Top Rank, was left in tears in the ring.
His wife Ran Yingying, a former television presenter who is heavily involved in her husband’s new promotion company, sent a similarly defiant message in the early hours Monday on Weibo.
“At dawn I heard a steadfast pledge. I also want to say: I believe in you, and I know you.
“Restore what has been lost! A sincere man keeps fighting!”


Zou Shiming’s Olympic boxing legacy overshadowed by shocking 200 million yuan debt

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

Zou Shiming

Beaten Zou Shiming vows to win back world title after shock loss to outsider Sho Kimura

Chinese boxer Zou Shiming has vowed to win back his world title following his shock loss to Japan’s Sho Kimura . Photo: AFP

This photo taken on July 12, 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

Photo: Handout

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.

Sport

Boxing

Zou scotches rumours that he could retire after his defeat to the Japanese by declaring he will fight until his last breath


Beaten Zou Shiming vows to win back world title after shock loss to outsider Sho Kimura

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Zou scotches rumours that he could retire after his defeat to the Japanese by declaring he will fight until his last breath

Zou scotches rumours that he could retire after his defeat to the Japanese by declaring he will fight until his last breath