Chinese star remembers Pinoy fondly

LOS ANGELES – Three-time AIBA world champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Zou Shiming said the other day he will never forget Filipino simon-pure Harry Tanamor for making him a better fighter in their four amateur duels one of which the Chinese lost.

Zou, who turns 33 on May 18, asked how his friend Tanamor was doing in the Philippines during an interview at the Wild Card Gym here. The Chinese star is trained by Freddie Roach with Gavin MacMillan as strength and conditioning coach. He is preparing for his next fight on July 19 at the Cotai Arena in the Venetian Resort and Casino Macau.

“Tanamor is very smart and I had to be at my best to beat him,” said Zou through interpreter Henry Sun. “I remember studying him carefully for every fight. I think we fought four times and he won once. I found out about how Filipinos fight through Tanamor and learned a lot from him. Even if we were rivals, we were friends. We always got together during international competitions. I’d like to meet him again and renew our friendship.”

Zou said he’s inviting Tanamor to watch his next fight in Macau. “How is he?” asked Zou. “Is he married? Is he coaching? I hope he doesn’t make a comeback to fight me.” Zou turned pro in April last year and has compiled a 4-0 record, with one KO. He won the AIBA world title in 2005, 2007 and 2011 and the Olympic gold medal as a lightflyweight in 2008 and 2012.

Tanamor, 36, fought twice in the Olympics but never brought home a medal. At the 2003 AIBA world championships, he lost to Zou, 21-13, in the semifinals and at the 2007 edition, dropped a 17-3 verdict in the finals. According to ABAP executive director Ed Picson, Tanamor is now with the national coaching pool. Married with two children like Zou, Tanamor isn’t totally retired although he never turned pro. Only recently, he won a championship for the Army in the Armed Forces of the Philippines boxing tournament.

Sun said Zou lives in Los Angeles with his wife Ying Ying and two children, the younger Ryan only eight months old. Zou mentioned that he will take a break from training to watch the Top Rank promotion featuring the WBA featherweight title bout between champion Simpiwe Vetyeka and challenger Nonito Donaire, Jr. in Macau on May 31 then go back to Los Angeles to resume his workouts for his July 19 assignment.

Zou said he has no regrets making his pro debut at a late age because it meant reaping honors for his country. “I sometimes wonder how it would’ve been if I turned pro earlier but I’m happy I turned pro when I did because I was able to win world championships and Olympic gold medals for my country and that is very important to me.”

Zou said he is lucky to be working with Roach. “I’m learning a lot from coach Freddie,” he said. “I’m also learning a lot from Manny (Pacquiao). I’m grateful for the opportunity to train in the same gym as Manny. I think coach Freddie and Manny work very well together and I hope I enjoy that same relationship with coach Freddie.”

As to when Zou will fight for a world title, he said it may happen after two or three more fights. Mark Butcher, writing in Boxing Monthly, described Zou as the most watched fighter in the world as “his first three professional bouts in 2013 drew cumulative TV viewing figures of 920 million across mainland China … factor in HBO in the US plus the Mexican and worldwide markets and the number becomes closer to one billion viewers.” Zou’s purse in those three outings was a total of $1.7 Million.

Roach said Zou could win a world title as a lightflyweight, flyweight or superflyweight. “I think he’ll be a force at 112,” said Roach quoted by Butcher. “If we do well there, we’ll go to 115 and try to win titles at multiple weights. He’s adding a little weight now with Gavin, putting a little more muscle on him. We might go one way or the other. Whatever Bob (Arum) decides is the best fight, at 108, 112 or even 115. We have a plan that we’re going to fight four times this year and after that, he’ll be ready.”