SHIMING ZOU TAPS MEGRINO AS SPARRING PARTNER FOR WBO WORLD TITLE DEFENSE IN SHANGHAI

WBO world flyweight champion Shiming Zou (center) is flanked by the Megrino brothers Rey (left) and Randy at the DEF Boxing Gym in Shanghai, China.

DEFENDING WBO world flyweight champion Shiming Zou has tapped the services of Filipino slugger Rey Megrino as a sparring partner for his first title defense on July 28 at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, China.

The 31-year old Megrino is only visiting his younger brother Randy, who is now a trainer at the DEF Boxing Gym in Shanghai. But he was immediately hired by Team Shiming Zou after the recommendation of DEF Boxing Gym owner Jay Lau.

“He was added to the team due to his vast experience and fighting style,” said Megrino’s manager Brico Santig of Highland Boxing Gym and Promotions from La Trinidad, Benguet.

Megrino, who scored 21 knockouts in his 24 wins, captured the WBC International flyweight title via a 3^rd round technical knockout win against Pongsaklek Wonjongkam in Thailand in 2012.

He also won the PABA and Luzproba flyweight titles but settled for a spit draw with Japan-based Jonathan Baat for the interim OPBF bantamweight crown last year.

Megrino previously scored a first round knockout against another former OPBF title challenger Yuki Strong Kobayashi (10-7-0, 5 KOs) of Japan last March 11 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center.

Shiming Zou (9-1-0, 2 KOs) will be defending his title against another Japanese challenger Sho Kimura (14-1-2, 7 KOs).

The 36-year old Chinese boxing superstar captured the WBO world flyweight crown via a unanimous decision win against WBO Oriental flyweight champion Prasitsak Phaprom (39-1-2, 24 KOs) of Thailand last November 5 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Shiming, who is also a former WBO International flyweight crown is being trained by former WBA world bantamweight champion Yober Ortega from Venezuela.

Shiming is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a three-time world amateur champion. Shiming Zou is the first Chinese Olympic medalist, winning a bronze medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics. He won the light flyweight gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.