Runqi Zhou made certain to mood his enthusiasm after his greatest win up to now.
The rejuvenated featherweight got here up large in an Oct. 26 ninth-round knockout of Ubayd Haider in Nadi, Fiii. Zhou (8-2-1, 3 knockouts) utilized relentless stress earlier than he pressured the stoppage at 2:31 of the ninth spherical.
It second straight win for the 24-year-old Chinese language boxer, after he went 0-2-1 in a earlier three-fight stretch. Nonetheless, any ideas of a celebration have been curbed when Haider (10-2, 6 KOs) was carried out on a stretcher. The 25-year-old Fijian southpaw stays underneath statement at Lautoka Aspen Hospital’s ICU ward.
“Let‘s ship constructive vibes for my Fiji boxer Ubayd Haider well being and to have a speedy restoration,” Zhou acknowledged afterward. “I would love for everybody to say a prayer.”
In the meantime, the profession of “Fist-of-Fury” in any other case strikes ahead with optimism for the primary time in years.
The combat was Zhou’s second in lower than two months after he relocated to Australia. The transfer was deemed obligatory as his profession was caught in a holding sample since early final yr. A pair of losses bookended an eight draw to go away him winless for the second half of 2023.
Zhou made modifications throughout the board after a shutout loss to Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov final November in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. He modified his residence, his ring moniker, administration group and weight class.
Now campaigning at featherweight and guided by Tony Tolj’s Dragon Hearth Boxing, issues are lastly on an upward trajectory.
“Runqi Zhou now goes by the moniker “Fist of Fury” and for good purpose,” Tolj informed The Ring. “He doesn’t cease punching. Runqi labored relentlessly on the physique and paid dividends choosing up the TKO within the ninth spherical.”
The win got here simply seven weeks after Zhou edged Richard Lockett in a six-round resolution. The Sept. 7 combat was Zhou’s debut with Dragon Hearth, whose present secure consists of the Moloney twins—Jason and Andrew—and strawweight contender Alex Winwood.
“He has solely been in Australia and has already had two fights,” famous Tolj. “Lockett had a win over world rated Jackson England and a detailed lose to WBO and IBF #1 Sam Goodman.
“Probably the most outstanding factor about Fist of Fury is he has no amateurs fights and at 24 has an incredible future. I’m very enthusiastic about his future, he’s one to maintain on the radar for certain.”
