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About The Asian reporter. (Portland, Or.) 1991-current | View Entire Issue (June 20, 2016)
SPORTS June 20, 2016 THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 7 Sparse Chinese presence in crowd at Zou’s U.S. debut By Samantha Pell The Associated Press EW YORK — Bob Arum was right. The CEO of Top Rank and Chinese icon Zou Shiming’s promoter pre- dicted a sparse Chinese fan turnout at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. And for the first time in Zou’s professional career, the stands he fought in front of weren’t filled to the brim with new, yet energetic Chinese boxing fans. Instead, in a packed house, the majority of the electric crowd was filled with flag-waving Puerto Rican fans supporting Felix Verdejo and Roman “Rocky’ Martinez, who co- headlined the champion- ship doubleheader on the eve of the Puerto Rico Day parade. Fighting at the theater provided Zou’s smallest capacity venue to date. But despite the small Chinese turnout, a handful of Chinese flags waved in the stands and chants for Zou got louder and louder after each round. “The crowd yelled loudly N POCKET HERCULES. Indian bodybuilder Manohar Aich flexes his muscles while posing for a photograph at a gymnasium in Kolkata, India, in this March 16, 2012 file photo. Aich, a celebrated Indian bodybuilder and former Mr. Universe, died in the eastern city of Kolkata at the age of 104. Aich’s son said his father died from health issues related to his age. (AP Photo/Bikas Das, File) Celebrated Indian bodybuilder Manohar Aich dies at age 104 KOLKATA, India (AP) — Manohar Aich, a celebrated Indian bodybuilder and former Mr. Universe, has died in the eastern city of Kolkata. He was 104 years old. Aich’s son said his father died of health issues related to his age. He is survived by his four children. Aich overcame many hurdles, including poverty and a stint in prison, to achieve bodybuilding glory. He won the Mr. Universe title in London in 1952 and returned a hero to India, where many took up bodybuilding, inspired by his success. He also won several titles when com- peting in the Asian Bodybuilding Cham- pionships. He was known as the “Pocket Hercules” due to his 4’11” inch frame. Aich, who was born in the small town of Comilla in Bengal, was a puny youngster. But he was attracted to exercising and building his muscles when as a schoolboy he saw a group of wrestlers in action. In 1942, he joined the Royal Air Force under India’s British colonial rulers and it was there that he began his relentless pursuit of bodybuilding. Encouraged by a British officer named Reub Martin, who introduced him to weight training, Aich earned praise for his physique from his peers in the air force. Some years later, however, he was thrown into prison when he protested Continued on page 9 USA DEBUT. Zou Shiming of China, right, fights Jozsef Ajtai of Hun- gary during the ninth round of a World Boxing Organization flyweight title match at Madison Square Garden in New York. Zou won the fight in a 10-round unanimous decision. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) and made me feel like it was a home match and not away,” Zou said. Giving the millions of Chinese boxing fans watching at home something to cheer about, Zou (8-1, 2 KOs) easily beat 19-year-old Jozsef Ajtai (15-3, 10 KOs) of Hungary in a 10-round unanimous decision. All the scores for Zou read 100-89. “My competitor’s objec- tive was to stand to the last minute of the fight,” Zou Portland Harbor Proposed Cleanup Plan and Public Comment Period The United States Environmental Protection Agency EPA is seeking formal public comment on the Proposed Cleanup Plan for the Portland (arbor Superfund Site in Portland, Oregon from June , until August, , . Photo courtesy of EPA, Region The Portland (arbor Superfund Site is located on the lower Willamette River approximately between the Broadway Bridge and Sauvie )sland. This area is contaminated with many hazardous substances, including polychlorinated biphenyls PCBs , dioxin, pesticides and polyaromatic hydrocarbons PA(s . EPA has determined that human health and environmental risks posed by the Portland (arbor site are high enough to take action under the Superfund Law. After many years of studying the Site, the EPA is releasing a Proposed Cleanup Plan. EPA s Pr oposed Cleanup Plan for the Por tland Har bor Super fund Site presents EPA s preferred alternative or option to lower risks to people and the environment from contamination in the lower Willamette River and its river banks. Alternative ), EPA s preferred alternative, reduces risks to human health and the environment to acceptable levels by dredging and/or capping acres of contaminated sediments and , lineal feet of contaminated river bank, followed by years of monitored natural recovery. The preferred alternative also includes disposal of dredged sediment in both an on-site confined disposal facility and upland landfills. This alternative will cost about $ million and take years of construction in the river. This alternative will address waste that poses the greatest threat to people and the environment through construction and relies on monitored natural recovery to continue to reduce remaining lower contaminant concentrations to acceptable levels. Public comment is critical and EPA believes the best cleanup plans are developed and implemented with the support of a well-informed community. The public is encouraged to review and submit comments on the Proposed Cleanup Plan to EPA during the formal -day public comment per iod beginning on June 9, 2016 and ending on August 8, 2016 . EPA will host official Public Meetings to over view the Pr oposed Plan and take or al and wr itten public comments. You are invited to attend the official EPA Public Meetings below to be held in Portland, Oregon: x June 24, 2016 , : am to pm, City of Portland Building, SW th Ave. x June 29, 2016 , : am to pm, Portland EXPO Center, N Marine Dr. x July 11, 2016 , : am – pm, University Place Conference Center, SW Lincoln St. x July 20, 2016 , : am – pm, Ambridge Center, NE Martin Luther King Blvd. All locations ar e easily accessible via MAX tr ains and bus lines EPA will offer two pr esentations on the Pr oposed Plan dur ing each public meeting at the following times: x x noon to : pm pm to : pm Russian, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese inter pr eter s will be available during the June th meeting. Please notify Laura Knudsen knudsen.laur a@epa.gov or - - , no later than two weeks pr ior to the other public meetings to request language interpretation assistance. Thr oughout the 60 day comment per iod, wr itten comments may be submitted via: x Email: har bor comments@epa.gov x Online comment box: https:/ / www.epa.gov/ or / for ms/ comment-epas-pr oposed-cleanup-plan-por tland-har bor -super fund-site x Postal mail: ATTN: (arbor Comments, U.S. EPA, SW Broadway, Suite Multnomah County Central Library, SW th Ave., Portland OR St. Johns Library, N Charleston Ave., Portland OR Kenton Library, N Denver Ave., Portland OR Questions? Contact Alanna Conley at - - TALKING STORY IN ASIAN AMERICA , Portland, OR The public is encour aged to r eview the Pr oposed Plan, Fact Sheet and suppor ting documents at the following locations: x EPA s website http:/ / go.usa.gov/ 3Wf2B x x x said. “He was afraid of the competition.” Sheng Li, CEO of Sports Entertainment Content Activation (SECA) in Shanghai, said prior to the fight he didn’t know how big Zou’s fan turnout would be, but predicted approxi- mately 100. “It will be different with this crowd, but this is what he wants,” Sheng said. “At Madison Square Garden, every boxer wants to fight here. He (Zou) has fought in China eight times and now he wants to fight outside of China.” Fighting seven times in Macau at Cotai Arena, Zou sold out the 12,000- to 15,000-seat venue, and in Shanghai he did the same in his most recent fight on January 31 in an arena that can accommodate about 10,000 fans, according to Sheng. Zou’s win will boost his stardom in China even more, according to Ye Chen, part of Shenzhen Media Group in China that broadcasted the fight back to Zou’s homeland. Ye said Chinese boxing fans desperately want Zou to win a world title, and with the victory, Zou will be one step closer. Ye was one of a handful of Chinese media that made the flight from China to attend Zou’s bout. The Oriental Morning Post sent a print reporter, LeTV in China sent a camera crew, as did CCTV-5. About 600,000 people watched the fight on LeTV through mobile, desktop, and television. The Chinese media pre- dicted a large viewing Continued on page 16 This is a paid advertisement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency n Polo Polo’s “Talking Story” column will return soon.