Zou close to China's first gold

BEIJING (Reuters) - China moved tantalizingly close to their first Olympic boxing title when light-flyweight Zou Shiming outclassed Ireland's Paddy Barnes in the Beijing semi-finals on Friday.

The host country's top prospect, Zou counter-punched efficiently to roars of delight from a partisan crowd on his way to an impressive 15-0 points win.

Zou, who gave China their first Olympic medal with a bronze in 2004 in Athens and went on to become their first world champion last year in Chicago, goes on to meet Mongolia's Serdamba Purevdorj in Sunday's final

(Reporting by Patrick Vignal, Editing by Alison Williams)