Boxing
Olympic Boxing: China’s Zou retains light-flyweight title
Reuters
LONDON – China’s defending world and Olympic champion Zou Shiming won the men’s light flyweight (46-49kg) gold on Saturday with a 13-10 win over Thailand’s Kaeo Pongprayoon.
Zou, 31, defended the title he won in the same division in Beijing four years ago, but it was an unpopular decision with the crowd at London’s ExCel Arena who jeered the final score while Kaeo wept in the ring.
Having lost in the semi-finals, Ireland’s Paddy Barnes and Russia’s David Ayrapetyan won bronez medals.
Having won the world crown last year in Baku, Azerbaijan, Zou adopted a conservative approach in the final and frustrated his Thai opponent, taking the first round 2-1 and amidst plenty of holding winning the second 4-3.
Kaeo, 32, upped his work-rate in the third, landing a succession of shots to the body and Zou earned a warning for a rugby-style tackle on the Thai which saw both of them tumble to the canvas.
With both fighters getting frustrated, Kaeo was also warned, but Zou held on to win the third round 7-6 to retain his Olympic crown.
