No sign of ring rust as flashy flyweight claims WBO title

Zou Shiming rediscovered his roar on Saturday night.

In a comeback fight billed as 'The Return of the King,' China's two-time Olympic gold medalist came through with a command performance, scoring an eighth-round TKO over previously-unbeaten Natan Santana of Brazil to claim the World Boxing Organization's International flyweight title at the Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai.

Zou improved to 7-1 in his first professional match on the mainland after all his previous bouts were in Macao. Santana dropped to 12-1. The eight-bout card was promoted by Las Vegas-based Top Rank.

"The homecoming was great," Zou said afterwards. "I really fed off the energy of the crowd."

Unlike in his last outing - a distance loss to Thailand's Amnat Ruenroeng for the IBF world title last March - the 34-year-old punching pride of Zunyi, Guizhou province, wasted no time going on the offensive, using a sharp jab to set up crisp combinations.

Zou's two-fisted attack belied any hint of lingering damage from the torn rotator cuff he sustained against Ruenroeng, and the 21-year-old Santana spent most of the first three rounds in retreat mode.

The Brazilian was more aggressive in the fourth, landing two solid rights to Zou's head early in the round, but Zou never lost his focus. He moved in and out of the pocket with smooth deliberation, landing with both fists before adroitly slipping out of range.

Late in the fifth, a six-punch flurry by Zou sent Santana reeling backwards into the ropes and the raucous crowd took up a chant of "KO! KO!", but the gutsy Brazilian regained his composure and responded with a flurry of his own.

By round six Zou's straight rights had raised a sizeable mouse over Santana's left eye, and it became a target for the 2008 and 2012 Olympic gold medalist.

After punishing his shorter opponent with an impressive barrage in the neutral corner, Zou elicited a roar from the crowd with his rendition of the Ali shuffle at the bell.

The end came in the eighth, after Zou drilled Santana into the ropes with a lead right, then landed 16 unanswered punches before referee Sawaeng Thaweekoon moved in to wave him off.

The time was 2:17.

"I took 10 months off to rest, spend time with my family and even found a little reality TV fame, but my heart never left the ring," Zou said at the post-fight media conference.

"Tonight I fought patiently and got into a rhythm. (Santana) is young and has a powerful right hand, but once I got into a rhythm I was able to control the fight."

Top Rank boss Bob Arum, who watched from ringside, gave the Chinese champion two thumbs up.

"Zou was really impressive. I want to test him again with another top contender in the spring," said Arum. "If he passes that, we will have him fight for a world championship by the end of the year."

PUNCH LINES: In the semi-main event, 2012 Olympic middleweight gold medalist Ryota Murata of Japan improved to 8-0 by stopping Argentina's Gaston Vega (24-10-1) in two rounds ... Four Chinese fighters won their prelims: light heavyweight Qu Peng of Dalian beat Australia's Aaron Lai in a six-rounder; flyweight Ma Yiming of Dalian took a six-round split decision over Filipino Jaymar Diama; debuting featherweight Mai Qingxian of Danzhou, Hainan province, won a four-rounder over Filipino Marjo Borres (6-5); and super middleweight Zulpikar Maimaitiali of Urumqi, Xinjiang autonomous region, stopped Australia's Steve Moxon in three rounds.

murraygreig@chinadaily.com.cn