By Edward Chaykovsky
Veteran trainer Freddie Roach was very upset when two-time Olympic champion Zou Shiming (2-0) refused to eat a bowl of rice and instead ate a candy bar prior to stepping in the ring for Saturday's fight against Jesus Ortega at the Venetian CotaiArena in Macau, China. Roach says the candy bar affected Shiming's blood sugar level and left him tired at the end of his six round decision win.
"He was a bit tired towards the end of the fight, but we have to pay more attention to his diet and pay more attention to what he eats. I saw him eat a candy bar and I was a bit upset by that. We know how George [former two-time heavyweight champion Foreman] and the amateurs like to eat candy bars, but that's for 12-year-olds. Overall I was pleased by his performance and we are heading in the right direction," Roach told the South China Morning Post.
"It has to come a little bit quicker [the learning curve]. He's a two-time Olympic gold medallist, everybody in the world knows that. He had a tough guy in front of him today. There were exchanges, and he got hit back. Some things he has to pick up. It will be a real big lesson for Shiming. Pacquiao works out like a world champion. Zou is going to see what it takes to become a world champion. It's going to be a great learning curve for him [Zou]."
Shiming will return on November 23rd as part of the Manny Pacquiao-Brandon Rios undercard in Macau.
