Zou braced for great leap forward

Double Olympic champion flyweight Zou Shiming of China warms up before a training session during a media event at the Venetian Macao hotel in Macao March 5, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

For his part, Hall of Fame trainer Roach says Zou must forget everything he thinks he knows about Ruenroeng.

"My biggest thing is I don't want him to go into the fight thinking, 'I know how to beat this guy', because three rounds and 12 rounds are just worlds apart," Roach said from his Wild Card Gym in Hollywood before departing for Macao with Zou last week. "Having a preconceived notion about how to beat a guy based on past results is a recipe for disaster."

Zou upped his pro record to 6-0 in November, going 12 rounds for the first time in a convincing win over Thailand's Kwanpichit Onesongchaigym, who was knocked down three times but still managed to open a nasty cut over Zou's left eye in the featured prelim to Manny Pacquiao's demolition of Chris Algieri.

"Ruenroeng has had a little more experience since they both turned pro, but he has some mistakes that I think Zou can take advantage of - although they're not the same mistakes he made in the amateurs," said Roach.

"The way Zou counters those mistakes has to be different, too. We'll see if he really understands what I've been trying to teach him."

If Zou wins, part of the credit must go to Pacquiao, who is also trained by Roach.

Roach was going to send his assistant, Marvin Somodio, to work Zou's corner at Cotai Arena because the Hall of Famer is busy preparing Pacquiao for his May 2 mega fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. But the eight-time world champ told Roach he believes Zou fights better with the boss in his corner, so there was no argument.

Zou's future - and the future of Chinese boxing - carries that big a price tag.

Murraygreig@chinadaily.com.cn