CHICAGO, Nov 4: China’s Zou Shi Ming outpointed Harry Tanamor of the Philippines to win the gold medal in the light flyweight division at the World Amateur Boxing Championships on Saturday.

Zou, the 2004 Olympic bronze medallist, had already qualified for the Beijing Olympics earlier in the tournament. It was the second world title for Zhou who also captured 48 kilogram gold in 2005 in his native China.

“I’m very happy that I won my second gold and I can prove myself again for the country,” Zou said. “At this level everyone’s skill is similar so creativity is important. I am a little guy with the right attitude.”

Tanamor picked up the silver while France’s Nordine Oubaali and Thailand’s Ammat Ruenroeng won bronze medals.

Zhou said Chinese fighters, including himself, are primed to do well at the Olympics next year in Beijing.

“It’s obvious that Chinese boxers in the last two years have done well, “Zhou said. “This has to do with trainers and coaches and their strategy and their skill and their arrangement.

“Chinese boxing has been able to achieve greater sportsmanship looking towards 2008 Olympics and I hope we can also excel in the Olympics.”

Thai veteran Somjit Jongjohor fell just short in his quest for flyweight gold by losing 13-9 to American Raushee Warren in the 51kg division.

Somjit knocked out two of Warren’s teeth in the second round but he couldn’t finish the job. Warren knocked Somjit down once to become the first American to win gold at the worlds in eight years.

“Raushee is good boxer, the number one in the world now,” Somjit said. “It was a very good tournament.”Said Raushee: “I’m a world champion now, not number three or two. Now other countries have gotta watch out for me.”

Matvey Korobov led a Russian assault in the finals Saturday, by defending his middleweight title from the 2005 Worlds and easily outpointing Venezuela’s Alfonso Blanco 29-4.

Korobov was one of six Russian finalists and three of that country’s champions. Bantamweight Sergey Vodopyanov and featherweight Albert Selimov also won gold.

Results of finals on Saturday:

48 kg: Zou Shiming (CHN) bt Harry Tanamor (PHI) 17-3.

51 kg: Raushee Warren (USA) bt Somjit Jongjohor (THA) 13-9.

54 kg: Sergey Vodopyanov (RUS) bt Enkhbat Badar-Uugan (MGL) 16-14.

57 kg: Albert Selimov (RUS) bt Vasyl Lomachenko (UKR) 16-11.

60 kg: Frankie Gavin (ENG) bt Domenico Valentino (ITA) 18-10.

64 kg: Serik Sapiyev (KAZ) bt Gennady Kovalev (RUS) 20-5.

69 kg: Demetrius Andrade (USA) bt Non Boonjumnong (THA) RSCH-2.

75 kg: Matvey Korobov (RUS) bt Alfonso Blanco (VEN) 29-4.

81 kg: Abbos Atoev (UZB) bt Arthur Beterbiev (RUS) 20-17.

91 kg: Clemente Russo (ITA) bt Rakhim Chakhkeiv (RUS) 7-6.

+91 kg: Roberto Cammarelle (ITA) bt Vyacheslav Glazkov (UKR) 24-14.

RSCH denotes referee stops contest head blow.—AFP