Zhang Xiaoping claims gold in 81KG

Meng Fanlong took on Olympic champion Zhang Xiaoping in the men's 81 kilogram class. The two contestants share the same coach, and Zhang acted as Meng's training partner before he headed to the boxing championship this year.

Meng Fanlong is a left-hander,but he struggled against the Olympic champion, scoring only one point in the  first round. Zhang came up with a clever punch here, he pretended to hit Meng with his left hand, but came up quickly with his right to make a solid connection.

Meng looked for a comeback in the second round. He hit Zhang hard with a series of heavy punches and even knocked the Olympic champion down.

Zhang Xiaoping would redeem himself in the third round. The two fighters are good friends outside the ring, and that made the result even more interesting for the spectators. Zhang used a defensive strategy to seal his victory. He held on to extend the lead point by point, and won the match 16-8.

The Olympic champion Zhang Xiaoping won the gold medal in the 81 kg class. It was also his first gold in the National Games.