With the world's best amateurs fighting for national pride in Paris, and perhaps a shot at future pro success, Chinese boxers are going all out
As a cradle of pro boxing legends, the Olympic stage is set once more for a clash of future stars, as China's top pugilists look to punch their names into history.
Li Qian (left) and Wu Yu will represent China in the Paris Olympics women's boxing competition in the 75kg and 50kg categories. [Photo/Xinhua]
After achieving a series of remarkable international results in the buildup to Paris, the Chinese national team, represented by four women and two men across eight weight classes, has entered its final preparations for the Games in Deauville, a coastal city in northern France, and is fully pumped-up for what it hopes will be a golden campaign.
Led by formidable contenders Wu Yu and Li Qian in the 50kg and 75kg classes, respectively, Team China has a full-quota women's squad to box in all six weight categories in Paris, while having to count on a heavy combo in Tuohetaerbieke Tanglatihan (80kg) and Han Xuezhen (92kg) to defend its territory on the men's side.
Only Ireland and Australia are the other delegations to qualify a full women's roster to compete in all six classes at the Games, where Team China is motivated to end its gold-medal drought from the past two editions.
Boasting a recent winning streak on the international stage, women's fighter Wu, the reigning world champion and Asian Games winner, has emerged as the biggest medal hope for China in the 50kg category, with her attempt to dominate at her Olympic debut expected to be challenged by Tokyo 2020 silver medalist Buse Naz Cakiroglu of Turkiye, and rising flyweight star Jennifer Lozano of the United States.
"The Paris Olympics are my dream. I need to take each day step by step, continually strengthening myself. I hope to achieve better results in Paris and fulfill my dream," said Wu.
For women's middleweight veteran Li, Paris will provide her a third, and potentially last, opportunity to complete the medal set in the 75kg class, after the 34-year-old former world champion collected a bronze at Rio 2016 and a silver at Tokyo 2020.
"Olympic gold has always been hung up high in my heart as the ultimate goal of my career. I haven't touched it yet, but I won't stop charging ahead toward that goal," Li said in a recent CCTV interview.
With traditional powers remaining strong, men's boxing in Paris will continue to be dominated by talent from Cuba, Britain, the United States and Ireland. Chinese men, however, will try to make their presence felt in the heavier categories, eschewing the country's tradition of competing in the lighter classes at amateur level.
After an early elimination in his Olympic debut in Tokyo, middleweight contender Tuohetaerbieke, who hails from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, has proved he's ready to go much further at his second Games in Paris by winning a silver medal in the 80kg division at last year's worlds, becoming the first Chinese men's world championships finalist since two-time flyweight Olympic champion Zou Shiming in 2011. The 27-year-old heavy puncher backed up his medal credentials by winning the 80kg title at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
He will have to go up against the intimidating two-time Olympic champion Arlen Lopez of Cuba, and perhaps the Tokyo 2020 bronze winner from the Philippines, Eumir Marcial, to realize his Olympic ambition.
"The results that I've accomplished at the world championships and the Asian Games over the past three years have made me more confident. I will fight with my life to finish on top of the podium," he said.
In the brutally competitive 92kg class, up-and-coming fighter Han, a silver medalist at last year's Asiad, is expected to help rebuild the Olympic heavyweight reputation of the Chinese men, after Zhang Zhilei's runner-up finish at Beijing 2008.
Now that the team has settled in France, Chinese boxers are fine-tuning their physical condition, while sparring with other international contenders to get ready for their respective bouts.
"Of course we are confident for a golden haul at the Olympics. We came early so that we could prepare better," Zhao Yong, a coach with Team China, told Phoenix TV upon landing in Paris on July 4.
Boxing competitions at the Paris Olympics will take place from July 27 to Aug 10 at the North Paris Arena and the iconic Roland-Garros Stadium. A total of 248 boxers from around the world will compete in six women's and seven men's categories.
For all weight classes, the competition adopts a knockout format, and will start with preliminary rounds followed by quarterfinal bouts, semifinals and finals.
