In Vijender Singh’s short-yet-promising professional boxing career, he has faced two opponents in title fights so far. The first was Australia’s Kerry Hope who was 34 years old at the time of the fight and had a 23-7 record under his belt. The second, most recent, was Tanzania’s Francis Cheka, who was also 34 years old, with a much more enviable 32-7-2 record, including a world title beside his name.
On those counts, China’s Zulpikar Maimaitiali doesn’t measure up. He is a 23-year-old with an experience of nine professional bouts and not a huge amount of amateur experience to go with it. But he is young, undefeated and brings a belt of his own to the ring when he goes up against Vijender at ‘Battleground Asia’ on Saturday.
Who is Zulpikar?
Zulpikar is China’s top-ranked professional in the super-middleweight category. He is currently the WBO Oriental Super Middleweight Champion and should he defeat Vijender, he will defend his own title and take the Indian’s WBO Asia Pacific Super Middleweight title back home as well. The 23-year-old has won eight of his nine professional bouts so far, with one bout ending in a draw after his opponent got a serious cut on his face, ruled as a head-butt – should that fight have carried on, Zulpikar would have had a clean 9-0 record today.
His background
Zulpikar is from Urumqi, China – a region known for combat sports, his trainer Julian Howell points out. Boxing is in his genes as he grew up watching his father – originally a professor in a sports institute – who coached pugilists from the region. One day, young Zulpikar went to the gym with his father and realised he has a knack for it. “Around the time I started boxing, there was a local channel which telecast a lot of global fights in our area. I grew up watching Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield. Those guys inspired me, I wanted to become an icon,” Zulpikar told The Field, with the help of an interpreter.
The other interesting aspect to Zulpikar’s career so far is that boxing is a rising sport in China, much like in India. The current administration is big on promoting boxing – a sport that was once banned in the country – and the Chinese Premier has openly admitted to being a fan of the sport. Zulpikar is looking to ride that wave of support and put China’s name on the map of global professional boxing.
“If I win this bout against Vijender, who is the hero of India, I will go back to my country with pride. Pro-boxing in my country is not so popular, if I win I will be able to promote pro-boxing and motivate youngsters in my country to come forward and pick up pro boxing as a sport,” Zulpikar added.
Style
As an young and upcoming boxer, Zulpikar’s approach to a bout reflects his age. Even when you seem his train – sparring with his coach Howell – he doesn’t hold back on the punches. Zulpikar is a southpaw too, something his team sees as an advantage going into the fight against Vijender, who was stretched to 10 rounds by the last southpaw he faced – Kerry Hope in July last year. “I think it’s an advantage to be a southpaw boxer, I know there are many great southpaw boxers who have been great in the field of boxing, I hope I can continue the legacy,” said Zulpikar ahead of his fight.
His trainer Powell reiterated that. “I am from Britain and I have seen a lot of Vijender in his professional career so far, but I don’t think he has seen enough of ‘Zuli’ and he is in for a major surprise on Saturday.”
Zulpikar turned professional in 2015 after about 7 years on the amateur circuit, but doesn’t nearly have the same experience at that stage as Vijender does.
Physicality
Almost the exact same height as Vijender – six feet tall – Zulpikar is known for his speed and aggression in the ring, compared to the Indian’s tactical approach.
Attitude
While most of Vijender’s previous opponents went full throttle with the trash-talking – a part and parcel of the pro-boxing circuit – Zulpikar has been measured, in comparison. Other than the occasional ‘I will defeat Vijender’ it’s been mostly mellow. But one thing that does become evident in talking to him and his team, is that he has lofty ambitions.
He is clear that he wants to become a world champion, a claim that his trainer vehemently backs and sees Vijender as a stepping stone to that eventual aim. That is part of the reason for his team to accept a fight against Vijender at this stage of his career – when he is still young and undefeated.
“First of all, I will meet more tougher opponents than Vijender. Vijender is only one of the many, and this is a calculated move to fight Vijender, to prepare myself for other champions, this is the first step,” he told The Field.
His responses to questions over-the-border troubles between India and China, conveyed a sense of maturity as well. “Politics is politics, sports is sports and I don’t want to mix them both. I am here for a fight and I will do my best to win it, that’s it,” he said.
On Saturday, standing against him will be Vijender Singh, with thousands of fans screaming in his ears. For a young boxer, fighting outside his country for just the second time, he would have to be at his best to produce a win against the local favourite.