Ubayd Haider is currently recuperating in the Intensive Care Unit of Lautoka Aspen Hospital following a challenging match against China’s Runqi Zhou for the IBO Asia Pacific Super Featherweight title. The bout took place last Saturday night at Prince Charles Park in Nadi.
Haider, originally named Nathan Singh, faced numerous heavy blows throughout the fight, spending most of his time on the defensive against his relentless opponent. Zhou displayed a fierce fighting style reminiscent of a Samurai, maintaining constant pressure in the ring.
In a decisive moment during the ninth round, Haider hit the canvas twice and was unable to recover before the count ended after the second fall. Following the bout, he collapsed on his way to the changing room and was immediately attended to by a ringside physician. He was then transported first to Nadi Hospital, and subsequently to Lautoka, where he remains under care.
Zhou revealed that his strategy was straightforward: focus on body shots to weaken Haider and aim for a stoppage in the later rounds. He commented on Haider’s performance, noting, “He had too much smiling and not too much punching.” Zhou thanked the Fijian audience with a heartfelt, “I love you Fiji, vinaka.”
Zhou’s trainer, Angelo Hyder, criticized Haider’s training camp for not adequately preparing him for such a high-level opponent. “I don’t know who is training him, I don’t know the level of sparring,” Hyder remarked. He emphasized the importance of experiencing top-level competition to succeed in the sport, noting Zhou’s extensive training background that included numerous sparring partners.
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