Bob Arum learned something about Chinese boxing fans earlier this year. When the American promoter presented his first fight card in Shanghai the crowd yelled and cheered for the home country boxers all the way until the main event. Then, with no Chinese fighter in the ring, they suddenly went quiet.
"There was nothing," Arum said. "Halfway through the fight half the crowd walked out."
They will be much louder on Sunday morning when Zou is the featured undercard fighter before Manny Pacquiao returns to the ring in the main event against New York's Chris Algieri. Officials expect the arena at the massive Venetian resort will be filled with bleary-eyed gamblers long before the main event.
Pacquiao and Algieri are being counted on to fill hotel rooms this weekend and bring in hundreds of millions of dollars in extra revenue from visitors who are as eager to spend money in the resort's lavish shopping mall as in the crowded casinos.
Macau may not be Las Vegas, but the concept is the same. Just like the casinos here began as copies of Vegas resorts, the fights follow the same pattern of appealing to sports fans with deep pockets; fans who enjoy a wager or two.
And Chinese fans are not only learning when to cheer, but how long to stay.
Pacquiao seems quite at home here, where he does not have to battle the effects of jet lag to Las Vegas.
His 350-member entourage managed to cram on two planes for a short flight from the Philippines to watch their own hero, who is guaranteed more than $20 million and won't have to pay millions in taxes that would be due from a fight in the United States.
That doesn't mean Macau will get the biggest fights. It won't, even if they involve Pacquiao.
The lights of the Las Vegas Strip still shine brightly when it comes to the biggest events.
Pacquiao's fight here last year against Rios was a pay-per-view disappointment, partly because Rios was not considered a credible opponent and partly because few bought in on paying money for it because of the mystique of a fight coming from China.
There's increased talk about Pacquiao finally fighting Floyd Mayweather next year in what could be boxing's richest bout. But no matter whom he fights, his next bout will not be in Macau.
"Manny's next fight will be in the States," Arum said. "To be relevant in the States you want him to train in California for at least one fight a year."
