By Duncan Mackay

Zou Shiming London 2012 boxingApril 5 - China's double Olympic boxing gold medallist Zou Shiming is already being hailed as a future superstar ahead of his professional debut tomorrow. 


Zou is reportedly receiving $300,000 (£197,000/€232,000) for his first fight, against the little-known Mexican Eleazar Valenzuela, at the 15,000-seat CotaiArena at the Venetian resort-hotel in Macau.

The 31-year-old from Guizhou, in southern China, claimed his second consecutive Olympic light flyweight gold medal when he won at London 2012. 

Boxing was banned in China under Mao Zedong and Zou is the first major name in the sport to emerge from there, which is why there is so much excitement about his move into the professional ranks. 

Zou, who also won an Olympic bronze medal at Athens 2004, as well as gold at Beijing 2008, has signed with Bob Arum's Las Vegas-based Top Rank promotions and has been training under the celebrated Freddie Roach.

The non-title fight over four rounds on the "Fists of Gold" bill tomorrow is being shown by American broadcaster HBO, who are expecting a television audience in China of 200 million.

Zou at weigh in for first professional fightChina's double Olympic gold medallist Zou Shiming (left) weighs in for his first professional fight, against Mexico's Eleazar Valenzuela (right)

"Freddie has been incredible, he has made the transition from amateur to professional very easy and I love working with him," said Zou, who also won three world titles and two Asian Games gold medals.

"I am so excited for Saturday night.

"As big a night as it is for me, it is even a bigger night for the sport of boxing and for boxing in China.

"My goal is to shine as bright a light on the sport in my country [as I can] and to help advance its development here for amateurs and professionals alike."

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