Chinese boxer Zou prepares for pro title in first US bout

China's two-time Olympic champion and professional boxer Zou Shiming will take on a young Hungarian pugilist on Saturday at the Madison Square Garden in New York.

Zou, 35, will make his debut in the United States to compete against 19-year-old Jozsef Ajtai in a 10-round flyweight bout, which will probably provide a good opportunity for Zou to refresh him and gather experience in pursuit of the world title, reports Xinhua.

According to Top Rank, a company that had signed Zou to a contract to fight under its banner, a victory in the US will help him get the qualification to challenge for a world title later in Autumn.

The 110-pound Chinese pugilist will enter the upcoming fight with a 7-1 record that included two knockouts. He had knocked out South American champion Natan Santana Coutinho to clinch the WBO International flyweight title in January.

Ajtai had a 15-2 record that included 10 knockouts and had won five of his last six fights.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Zou was titled in the junior flyweight event and he retained the gold four years later at the London Games.

--IANS

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