LAS VEGAS -- There was no question what the main attraction of the eight-fight card Top Rank produced last Saturday night was.Signs around the Thomas & Mack Center featured Manny Pacquiao and Jessie Vargas with the words, The Legend framing Pacquiaos face and The Champ outlining Vargas glare.This was a night specifically built for Pacquiao to enjoy one more championship-winning night in Las Vegas before the Filipino senator turns 39 next month.But it was also a stage built to showcase the global reach of boxing and more importantly, the growing popularity of the sport in China. Of the 16 boxers on Saturdays card, 11 were from outside of the United States with two hailing from China.The opening fight of Saturdays pay-per-view telecast saw Zou Shiming defeat Prasitsak Phaprom by unanimous decision for the vacant WBO world flyweight title. Top Rank founder and CEO Bob Arum estimates close to 100 million people in China watched Zou, 35, win his first world title as a professional boxer Sunday morning.Shiming, who won three consecutive Olympic medals from 2004 to 2012, is not only one of the most popular athletes in China, but he is also one of the biggest celebrities in a country with a population of close to 1.4 billion people. He was on a popular reality show in China called Where Are We Going, Dad? which garnered about 75 million viewers per episode on Hunan Television, and is married to Yingying Ran, who was a popular television commentator in China.You cant imagine how popular he is in China, Arum said. The ratings for his reality show dwarfed anything the Kardashians did. Think about that? He was one of the greatest amateur boxers and now hes on his way to having a great professional career. The current president of China Xi Jinping is a tremendous boxing fan and obviously his favorite fighter is Zou Shiming. In a country like China if the president shines his light on you then it becomes something big.That the president of China is a big boxing fan and reportedly watched Shimings fight live on television Sunday morning speaks to how far the sport has come in the country. Mao Zedong, the founding father of the Peoples Republic of China, banned boxing before the countrys first National Games in 1959 after a boxer died following a bout in Tianjin a few years earlier. Boxing slowly began to gain acceptance after Maos death when Muhammad Ali visited China in 1979; becoming the first foreign athlete to be jointly invited by the Chinese Olympic Committee and China Sports Federation. Ali met with Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping during his visit and expressed interest in reviving the sport in China.It was a dialogue that continued until Ali returned to China in 1985 and staged boxing sessions and clinics. Chinas ban on boxing was officially lifted in 1986 and Chinese boxers competed in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. The country would finally win its first Olympic medal in boxing in 2004 when Shiming claimed a bronze medal in Athens. Shiming continued to compete as an amateur and won the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and the 2012 Olympics in London.Zou is one of the top three male athletes in China and is definitely the icon for boxing, said Li Sheng, president and CEO of SECA, the leading sports marketing company in China. When Zou had his success, that was the first time many people in China watched boxing because of his three Olympic medals, especially the gold medal he won in Beijing. He has been responsible for reintroducing boxing to China and when he turned pro thats pretty much how pro boxing in China tk off. Theres a huge anticipation for his fights. This was the first time many Chinese media and fans traveled to Las Vegas to watch a Chinese boxer in a big, top-level boxing show.Saturdays fight was sponsored by Wynn Las Vegas with the news conferences and weigh-ins for the card taking place at the opulent hotel and casino on the Las Vegas strip. Steve Wynn, whose company owns resorts in Las Vegas and Macau, only appeared at one news conference during fight week -- a special gathering for Shiming and the 18 Chinese media outlets that had traveled to Las Vegas to cover his fight.Im especially delighted to have Zou Shiming here and fighting, Wynn said. Its a great card but it is fun to start it off with such an exciting Asian audience. People in China are always interested in learning about the United States and I hope their view of Las Vegas after Zous fight resonates with the Peoples Republic of China.After the news conference where Wynn spoke a few phrases in Mandarin, he posed for pictures with Shiming and told him he would be ringside for his fight. When Shiming fought on the undercard of Pacquiaos two fights in Macau in 2014 and 2013, several Chinese reporters said Shiming was the biggest name on the card for local viewers. Before Saturdays fight, the weigh-in for Zous fight tk place after Pacquiao and Vargas weighed in and was shown live in China.Steve owns two hotels in Macau and he realizes how big the Chinese market is and having his picture taken in connection with a championship fight with Zou Shiming is gd business, Arum said. I know hes happy because many high-rollers from China came here and to the Wynn to see Zou win a world title.Arum was contacted three years ago about promoting Shiming and he jumped at the opportunity when he realized how popular he was and how big the sport could become in China. He then paired him with Freddie Roach, who is Pacquiaos trainer. The goal is to get one of the best amateur boxers to start fighting and thinking like a professional boxer.Hes a great boxer and hes got great defense but we obviously still need to work on the offense a little more, Roach said. He can punch when he wants to but he doesnt always chse to do that because hes taught to protect himself in the amateur program but now its different as a professional. Hes still learning. I remember teaching him how to hit a speed bag because they dont have speed bags in China. Hes pretty gd at it now.Shimings skills were on display Saturday as he dominated Phaprom and entertained a strong contingent of his fans chanting, Zou Shiming, jai yo! which means Zou Shiming, go for it! He smiled while he was in the ring, at times shuffling his feet like Ali, putting his hands behind his back and asking Phaprom to hit him before firing away at him.When Im in the ring, Im just in the moment and my body just reacts, said Zou, who grew up watching old Ali fights and tried to emulate him. Being an amateur for so long, its hard to change my style but Freddie helps me work on being a professional and fighting like a professional.After Shimings unanimous decision win, he clutched his first world championship belt and then kissed his wife, who was in tears inside the ring as the scorecards were read.Shes been with me through the ups and downs and definitely is my biggest cheerleader, Shiming said. I couldnt do this without her. Im so glad to share this moment with her... Im incredibly happy, its a lifelong dream and to win this title is an amazing feeling. To win a title in Las Vegas is something I will cherish forever.Shimings win elicited large smiles and congratulatory pats on the back between Arum and Wynn, who both realize the impact Shiming has in attracting a new fan base to fights in Las Vegas, Macau and elsewhere.Boxing has always been a global sport but the thing that is different about this night is China, Arum said. The Chinese are treating this fight even better than if the fight was in Shanghai or Macau. Chinese companies believe like we did, that this audience would be tremendous and they opened up their pockets and paid gd amounts for sponsorship. Thats why when you lked at the ring mat you saw at least four different Chinese companies.As popular as Shiming is in China, Arums goal is to cultivate the next wave of boxing stars in China that want to follow in his ftsteps. Top Rank and SECA have partnered to organize League of Fists, a professional boxing tournament aimed at promoting the sport in China and Arum is considering having Shimings first world title defense take place in China to help further promote the sport in the country.The future of boxing in China is absolutely huge, Arum said. They have the population and the money and now the interest. Weve done fights in Beijing, Shanghai and Macao and we get tremendous audiences and theyre beginning to understand it. Its becoming very popular both on television and on the internet. The future of boxing in China is very bright and it begins with Zou Shiming. Brandon Dubinsky Jersey . -- In a span of seven Washington Redskins offensive plays, Justin Tuck sacked Robert Griffin III four times. Adidas Cam Atkinson Jersey . Gerald Green and Miles Plumlee? Green had bounced around the NBA when he wasnt playing overseas. The Pacers gave up on Plumlee after just one season. 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Just ask Hall of Fame car owner Rick Hendrick.The NASCAR titan has fielded 11 Sprint Cup champions over the past 21 years, won 242 Sprint Cup races and just two seasons ago had all four of his star drivers- Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne -- in the 16-team championship chase.These days, Johnson is Hendricks only surefire contender locked into the chase, although hes got others knocking on the dr. Hendrick understands its a time of transition for his proud, powerful organization.You sign guys and you cant believe that Jimmie Johnson, or Dale or Jeff Gordon are 40 years old, Hendrick said. But time moves on.And brings change.Gordon retired last year, although he has driven the past four races for Earnhardt, who is recovering from a concussion that has put his playoffs in doubt. Chase Elliott, Gordons replacement, stands 12th in points and is a gd bet to keep his spot in the chase. Kahne, at 17th, needs a victory to guarantee moving on.I think everybodys lking for that next superstar, Hendrick said. And if youre not willing to invest in the future, then youre going to be in a bind when the time comes.Hendrick tk steps toward that last week, signing 18-year-old truck series leader William Byron to race Xfinity cars next season. In Hendricks eyes, Byron is that budding star wholl keep the organization chasing checkered flags for a long time.Byron raced trucks for Kyle Busch Motorsports and lked to have a future at Joe Gibbs Racing, the current power player in NASCAR. But with Busch, the defending Sprint Cup champion, Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin all in their 30s (the fourth member is 44-year-old Matt Kenseth), there may not be rm for advancement at JGR.David Wilson, president and general manager, Toyota Racing Development, USA, said Byron was a talent they hated to lose. I dont think we were anticipating the next step this sn, he said. I dont think William was anticipating it this sn.Dont fret for Toyota, which is developing several young drivers. Xfinity driver Erik Jones will advance to Sprint Cup with Toyota team Furniture Row Racing next year.Daniel Suarez, a 24-year-old JGR driver, was part of NASCAR Next and its Drive for Diversity program..dddddddddddd He became the first Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR race when he tk the Xfinity race at Michigan two months.All, though, will have to wait their time. The JGR quartet -- think of the Golden State Warriors on wheels -- have won 10 of 23 races this season and are all locked into the playoffs for a championship run.Edwards, the groups newest member, said the level of cperation between very competitive teams and drivers keeps all of them sharp.Yeah, were running really well, but its not one thing, its a very gd foundation of teamwork and it all starts with Coach Gibbs, Edwards said. Its cl to be a part of it.Roush Fenway Racing, with 135 Sprint Cup wins and two championships, has also dealt with changes in recent years and the need to find young talent. Once a perennial title contender, the organization that featured 2003 title winner Kenseth and Edwards is crossing its fingers lking for one chase entry.Former Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne, 25, stands 15th in points, but would get knocked out if race winners Tony Stewart and Chris Buescher both maintain their spots inside the top 30 in points.Ricky Stenhouse Jr., the 28-year-old whos 19th in points, was second Sunday to Kevin Harvick at Bristol Motor Speedway, the highest finish for a Roush Fenway driver this season. Stenhouse said although no one at RFR is satisfied with this years results, he thinks strides have been made in returning to the top.We passed some cars that were running (well) and leading laps throughout the race, Stenhouse said.Buescher, 25, was last years Xfinity champion and is on an extended run in Front Rows affiliation with Roush Fenway. His win at Pocono last month put him in playoff position and he moved up to No. 30 -- the required placing to make the Chase -- with his fifth place at Bristol. A few more strong showings at Michigan, Darlington and Richmond the next few weeks and Buescher will be racing for a title in his first full Sprint Cup season.From the Ford camp side, we know weve got a little bit of work to do yet, and we all know whos been dominant at all these tracks this year, Buescher said. And were working to get ahead of that group. ' ' '