China's great boxing hope Zou Shiming notched up an unconvincing second professional victory against Mexico's Jesus Ortega on Saturday, failing to answer questions about his lack of punching power. The two-time Olympic gold medallist, topping the bill at the Fists of Gold II event at Macau's Venetian resort-hotel, went the six-round distance but tired well before the bout ended, resorting in the final three minutes to clinging on to his equally inexperienced opponent.
With millions expected to have tuned in to watch the nation's boxing icon on China's state television, much was riding on the shoulders of the man many hope will become the country's first professional world champion. In front of an electric crowd buoyed by two earlier 12-round toe-to-toe bouts, 32-year-old flyweight Zou came out more technically proficient for the first three rounds than in his previous bout, but largely failed to rattle the 19-year-old Mexican in his fifth professional fight. Ortega shrugged off Zou's combinations in the first two rounds, showboating at the end of the second and dropping his guard, only to receive minimal punishment.
In the third Zou ramped up the pressure with a slew of combinations, but soon tired, grabbing at his opponent by the fifth and spending much of the final round alternating between trading flailing punches and clinging on. Despite the performance, judges handed Zou a unanimous victory, scoring the bout 59-55, 59-55, 59-55. The exhibition is unlikely to impress his legendary trainer Freddie Roach, who earlier this week described Zou's debut performance against Mexico's Eleazar Valenzuela as "playing around".
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