Data map: Xu Can warms up before training.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Liu Ranyang
China News Service, Beijing, April 21 (Wang Hao) "I haven't had a press conference for too long, and I'm quite nervous." Xu Can said in private with a smile and a familiar staff member.
At the press conference on the 21st, he stood in the boxing gym of the M23 team and announced that he would go to the United States to participate in the competition.
At this point, more than 8 months have passed since he lost the gold belt in the last match.
It was the midsummer season last year, and Xu Can embarked on a long journey.
He departed from China, transited in Bangkok, Thailand to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. After being quarantined in Dubai, he arrived in Miami, the United States.
However, in Miami, he did not wait for the planned match. The match was postponed twice due to the "hit" of the new crown by fighters in other matches in the same match. Xu Can finally had to go to London, England.
Data map: Xu Can is training.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Liu Ranyang
In the early morning of August 1, 2021, Beijing time, Xu Can lost the first fight in his return to the arena after 20 months and lost the WBA featherweight world champion gold belt.
This match was a big blow to Xu Can, and it was also a big blow to the Chinese boxing industry, which was struggling to move forward amid the epidemic.
Xu Can said that he only came out two months after the game, and he was a little depressed in the middle.
"For me, I paid so much, but I didn't have a good result. I'm not reconciled. It's not that I have to win, but I did play too badly in that game, so I'm very dissatisfied with my performance."
For a period of time after that, Xu Can never stood on the field again.
In fact, it is not just Xu Can. Under the shadow of the epidemic, domestic boxing events have been greatly affected, and some high-level players going abroad to compete in foreign countries are also full of uncertainty.
Group photo of the M23 team.
Image source: M23 team
Under such circumstances, some fighters choose to retire.
However, there are others like Xu Can who choose to persevere.
At the door of the M23 team boxing gym, the profiles of each member of the entire team are posted, and there are many new faces.
Xu Can is now considered a "veteran" in the M23 team. After that defeat, he has grown a lot.
"Falling on the field made me more calm, whether it's for the game or my life, and I'm more enthusiastic about training, because I know that my biggest advantage is physical fitness."
The first fight for Xu Can to return to the arena will be against Mexican boxer Benitez on May 21, Beijing time. The two will have a 10-round match.
Chinese IBF light heavyweight intercontinental champion Meng Fanlong will also appear in the co-main event that day, where he will face former WBA and WBC light heavyweight world champion Jean Pascal.
Benitez is 24 years old and has a career record of 18 wins and 2 losses. He is a rising young star.
His boxing style is aggressive and fierce, and he is good at fighting on the inside.
Xu Can at the press conference.
Image source: M23 team
"At present, I feel very good, including my physical strength and physical control. I have been winning before, so I am very confident in my style of play, but after failure, I know that I need to make some changes and increase my weapons. Not only fighting hard, but also taking advantage of the distance advantage generated by one's height." Xu Can introduced.
He made no secret of his desire to regain the boxing gold belt: "This match is a very important part of my challenge to the gold belt again, so I hope that I can spare no effort to prepare for the fight." (End)