China's boxers come out swinging at WBC

Liu Yongcai wins the WBC China Featherweight Gold Belt at the Jincheng Taiyue Resort Hotel in Wuxi, Jiangsu province on Aug 7. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

China's boxers notched up three wins and a loss in the opening round of the World Boxing Championship at the Jincheng Taiyue Resort Hotel in Wuxi, Jiangsu province on Aug 7.

The design of the 2017 China WBC Series was always going to make it tough for the Chinese fighters, pitching eight up-and-coming young boxers from China against an array of hard-headed veterans from across the world.

But the Chinese team appeared determined to put in a strong performance—and impress the night's special guests, former heavyweight champions Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield—in the highest-profile Chinese boxing event of the year so far.

Liu Yongcai got the biggest cheers of the night by defeating Indonesian Ricky Manufoe with a 10th round technical knock-out to win the WBC China Featherweight Gold Belt.

Liu, a talented fighter from the renowned Dalian Eagle Totem Boxing Club who has previously finished third in the League of Fists tournament, always looked comfortable against the Indonesian, whose tenaciousness was the only reason the fight did not end earlier than the 10th round.