Chinese boxer Zou Shiming Uomo Nike Air Jordan 2 BHM Scarpe Nere Oro Italia , front, poses during the weigh-in for Champions of Gold boxing event in Macao in this 18 July 2014 file photo. [PhotoIC] Already the biggest name in boxing that the rest of the world has never heard of, China's Zou Shiming on Sunday could transform himself into the wild card that makes or breaks the richest event in sports history: a bout worth $1 billion.
Yup, you read it right-one billion Yankee greenbacks.
For that scenario to become reality, Zou (5-0 Uomo Air Jordan XXXII Low Last Shot Scarpe Nere Rosse Italia , 1 KO) first has to defeat Thailand's No 1-ranked Kwanpichit Onesongchaigym (27-0-2, 12 KOs) in their International Boxing Federation flyweight title eliminator, with the winner guaranteed a shot at world champion Amnat Ruenroeng in 2015.
If Zou beats Onesongchaigym and World Boxing Organization welterweight champ Manny Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38 KOs) makes a successful defense against undefeated Chris Algieri (20-0, 8 KOs) in Sunday's main event at Cotai Arena in Macao Air Jordan 7 Retro Nere Oro Uomo Italia , the stars will align for a long-awaited showdown between Pacquiao and unbeaten World Boxing Council champ Floyd Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs) for the unified welterweight crown.
At this point it is all conjecture, but Zou's enormous popularity in China is the key to the mint. In terms of TV popularity the double Olympic gold medalist from Zunyi, Guizhou province, is the hottest property in the sport Uomo Nike Air Jordan 6 Scarpe Nere Infrared 23 Italia , with his fights drawing an average audience of about 350 million viewers nationwide.
As first reported by Britain's Daily Mail earlier this week, the linchpin of the projected billion-dollar bout between Pacquiao and Mayweather is a plan by Top Rank promoter Bob Arum to make that fight-with Zou's title shot as the featured prelim-the first pay-per-view event televised in China ... at a substantially lower cost than for the rest of the planet.
"Zou is the driving force for taking pay-per-view to China; he's a national hero and hundreds of millions of his countrymen tune in every time he's on TV," Arum said earlier this year.
"Combine Zou's massive appeal with the drawing power of Pacquiao-Mayweather, and you're looking at numbers nobody ever dreamed possible. At $5 a buy, even if only 10 percent of the Chinese population signed up Uomo Nike Air Jordan 3 Retro Pure Bianche Scarpe Saldi , that's around $650 million. It's staggering."
The Chinese PPV would most likely be delivered online or via smart phones. Arum could also bank on another $300 million from pay-per-view in North America, based on an average buy of about $95.
With worldwide PPV accounting for $950 million and additional revenue generated by the site fee in Macao or Las Vegas, live gate sponsorships and merchandising, the $1 billion plateau suddenly becomes very reachable.
The combatants, of course 136027-007 Air Jordan 5 Retro Grapes Nere New Emerald-Grape Ice-Nere Donne Italia , would get a generous slice of that enormous pie. Even if Pacquiao acceded to Mayweather's oft-voiced demand for a 60-40 split of their purse, the Philippines congressman could expect to walk away with upwards of $120 million to the American's $140-$150 million. As for Zou, $20-30 million would not be out of the question.
None of it will happen if either Zou or Pacquiao comes up short on Sunday. There's big pressure on both men to not just win, but win big-and that's a much taller task for Zou, who will be fighting his first 12-rounder against a dangerous and far more experienced foe in Onesongchaigym. Both men are 33 Uomo Nike Air Jordan 14 Retro Candy Cane Scarpe Bianche Rosse Saldi , but the unbeaten Thai has logged 165 pro rounds to Zou's 33.
"I started my professional career after the age of 30, a decision I am proud of and still feel lucky about," Zou said at a Shanghai media conference in October. "Right now I am just learning about professional boxing and the glories that are available ... and I want to inspire the new generation of boxers in China.
"In the past, I only wanted to be a champion because I knew that a runner-up is quickly forgotten by the world. Now I know that even a champion fades away with time, so I must make the most of my opportunity. I want to enjoy boxing as long as I can."
"Zou's punching speed and strength were already exceeding my expectations in the first week of training camp and he's only gotten stronger and faster since," said Roach.
"He's sitting down on his punches more, moving in and out of the pocket quicker and finding his natural punching rhythm. I'm looking for his best performance yet."
The 39-year-old Hollywood star was reportedly planning to become a Namibian citizen in order to use the title "Dame" awarded by British Queen Elizabeth II earlier this month for her work against sexual violence in war zones.
Since Jolie is not a British or Commonwealth citizen, she cannot use the title before her name, and was therefore advised to become a citizen of Namibia, a Commonwealth country where she gave birth to her first biological child in 2006.
However Uomo Nike Air Jordan 12 Retro Grigie Scontate , the Namibian Sun newspaper was told by Home Affairs and Immigration Minister Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana that her office had not received an application for citizenship from Jolie.
"Maybe we are jumping the gun here but if she does apply it will be considered like that of any other person. All applications are considered in the same fashion," the minister said.
It was also reported in 2006 that Jolie's first biological child Shiloh Nouvel had been offered Namibian citizenship, while local lawyer Norman Tjombe told Namibian Sun that neither Jolie nor her daughter qualifies for citizenship of the southwestern African country.