China’s Olympic light flyweight champion Zou Shiming made a winning start at the World Boxing Championships, beating Juan Medina of the Dominican Republic on the event’s opening day on Monday.
The 30-year-old veteran, who is seeking his third world title, is also aiming to obtain a place at next year’s Olympic Games in London.
Zou, who is unbeaten since 2007 when he lost to Mongolia’s defending world champion Purevdorj Serdamba, is next scheduled to face Hungary’s Istvan Ungvari, who had an opening-round bye.
Cuba’s young prodigy, 19-year-old Yosvany Veitia, who won the bronze medal at the youth world championships, also breezed into the next round, beating Birzhan Zhakypov of Kazakhztan, bronze medalist at last year’s Asian Games.
Meanwhile, the 21-year-old Argentine Junior Zarate also advanced into the next round after overcoming Charlie Edwards of England by just two points in a tough bout, clinching the deciding points in the final round.
In the event’s heavyweight category another Cuban fighter, Jose Angel Larduet, one of the hot favorites, also breezed into the next round as he disposed of Lubos Velecky of the Czech Republic.
Mexica’s Maria Heredia Orrantia recorded an early win over Spain’s Juan Agustin Oliva Aleman, clinching a commanding 17-3 victory, and he is scheduled to meet top seed Artur Beterrbiev of Russia in the next round.
Ihab Almatbouli of Jordan was in complete command in his bout with Denmark’s Peter Pedersen, winning it with the best punch difference of the day, 30-9.
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