Unfortunately, at the WBA World Boxing Championship held at the Qingdao Sports Center on July 27, the 36-year-old Xiong Chaozhong failed to continue his victory in the comeback battle on October 3 last year, and lost to thai boxing champion NiYong Derong, who was 8 years younger than himself, in 12 rounds. In an interview after the game, the low-key and humble man did not have any frustration and dissatisfaction, but was grateful for boxing to bring him all: I did not regret losing, boxing gave me all!
As two of China's most famous world-class boxing champions, Zou Shiming and Xiong Chaozhong, both of whom came from poor rural areas, have changed their lives because of boxing, but compared to Zou Shiming's Olympic boxing road, Xiong Chaozhong's boxing road is later and more tortuous.
In 2000, in order to supplement his family, 18-year-old Xiong Chaozhong dropped out of the first grade of vocational high school to find a job at a copper mining factory in his hometown, working about 10 hours a day but only earning 10 yuan. Later, in order to have a better income as a security guard, he began to learn boxing at the suggestion of his cousin. It was not until 2006 that Xiong Chaozhong, who was already 24 years old, began to receive professional boxing training at professional boxing clubs.
It was also that experience that honed Xiong Chaozhong's strength and tenacity. This time the 36-year-old Xiong Chaozhong against the 28-year-old Thai boxing champion, xiong Chaozhong was not optimistic before the match, Ni Yong Derong also said with confidence: "Xiong (Chaozhong) is old, I will beat him to retirement." But it was this old Xiong Chaozhong who not only insisted on playing 12 rounds, but also hit Ni Yong Derong many times during the game, leaving red and swollen scars on the opponent's face. After the game, Niyong Derong also said: "He is very tenacious, I believe he still has a chance to compete for the gold belt."
Shortly after the match, Xiong Chaozhong accepted an interview with the media with an injured face, and he did not have a trace of dissatisfaction and complaint about the boxing match he lost, but was full of simple and sincere gratitude for boxing: "I don't regret losing, I think boxing gave me everything." Indeed, boxing made Xiong Chaozhong from a miner to a boxing king, the first person to drive a Mercedes in their hometown village, but he did not forget Ben, and practiced with practical actions that he did not forget his poor rural absenteeism and gratitude for boxing.
In 2013, after Xiong Chaozhong successfully defended the WBC Professional Boxing Mini Lightweight Gold Belt in his hometown, he specially donated half of his 200,000 US dollars for the game and 100,000 US dollars (about 700,000 yuan) to charity to support poor children in rural areas. In the boxing gym that Xiong Chaozhong now runs, when he encounters children who come to learn boxing and have family difficulties, he will also sponsor them for free. When asked why he did this, his answer remained so simple: because in the children, he saw his own shadow.