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Zoey Zhang

A violent attack on a Chinese boxing champion and his wife in Australia left the fighter in a coma and his partner with multiple bruises.
The athlete later decided to divorce the woman, saying he had failed to protect her.
Born in central China’s Henan province, 25-year-old Zhou Runqi started out in martial arts before turning to boxing.
In 2023, he clinched the WBC Asia super flyweight title with a knockout win in Thailand, making him China’s first continental champion born in the 2000s.

A fallout with his management team sidelined his career in China and Zhou and his wife relocated to Australia last year to rebuild and chase his boxing dreams.
On October 14, Zhou and his wife were attacked on a bus in New South Wales, the boxer revealed in a video.
He said a woman began hurling racist slurs at the couple and when his wife spoke up, the woman and two men turned violent.
Zhou tried to shield his wife, but was stabbed in the head with a sharp object, while his wife was dragged off the bus by her hair. The attackers fled before the police arrived.
An enraged Zhou tried to chase them but was stopped by his wife.

The police have since arrested two suspects. In Australia, people convicted of assault causing bodily harm can face five years in prison.
Zhou lost consciousness in the ambulance and was later diagnosed with a concussion. His wife suffered multiple bruises and emotional trauma.
After the attack became public online, some social media users criticised Zhou for letting his wife get hurt.
One comment read: “You have trained your whole life in boxing but did not use it when it mattered most.”
Zhou replied that he wanted to fight back, but his wife stopped him, fearing it could damage his career.
He also missed a scheduled press conference and withdrew from a coming bout.
On October 21, Zhou posted a video announcing that he plans to divorce his wife after returning to China.
He said his wife had quit her job in China to move to Australia and support his boxing career, yet he could not protect the woman he loves.
“If I cannot keep her safe, what is the point of success?” he said.
Zhou described his wife as brave, recalling how she once helped stop three teenagers causing trouble in a shopping centre.

“I do not deserve to be her husband. I have decided to divorce her so she can live a happier life,” he said.
As of writing, his wife has not spoken publicly about the matter.
The incident has attracted much attention on mainland social media.
One online observer said: “If Zhou is divorcing just out of guilt, that is unnecessary. He should work harder and give his wife a better life, not run away from it.”
Another person said: “Maybe it was his wife who wanted the divorce, as she has suffered serious trauma.”
“As a professional boxer, Zhou knew that fighting back could have turned deadly. He protected his wife within the limits of the law, and she stopped him to protect his career. They both did the right thing,” said a third.


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Champion athlete who was stabbed in head during violent assault on bus tried to fight back but wife stopped him fearing for his career


Champion athlete who was stabbed in head during violent assault on bus tried to fight back but wife stopped him fearing for his career.


Australia

Boxing

Chinese boxer survives attack in Australia, divorces wife over failure to protect her

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Champion athlete who was stabbed in head during violent assault on bus tried to fight back but wife stopped him fearing for his career

Champion athlete who was stabbed in head during violent assault on bus tried to fight back but wife stopped him fearing for his career