Ma Baoguo’s opponent ‘scared’ before KO’ing tai chi master in 30 seconds – and had to pay to fight
Wang Qingmin tells local media he used Chinese kung fu style to knock out 69-year-old tai chi master in first interview since viral fight
Amateur boxer has received no prize money and paid US$92 to fight Ma, who reportedly earned US$28,000 for 30-second bout
Jonathan White
Published: 10:48am, 27 May, 2020
Updated: 11:29am, 27 May, 2020
However, Wang said he beat Ma with a traditional Chinese kung fu style. He was registered as an MMA fighter but used the Chinese style of Xing Yi Quan, rather than Western martial arts as media reported.
Referee asked tai chi master Ma Baoguo to show mercy before embarrassing 30-second KO
Pre-fight footage emerges on Chinese social media showing referee expected tai chi master to deliver a one-sided beat down
Referee appeals to 69-year-old to show mercy to his opponent – ‘when I say stop, you can’t continue to hit him’
Jonathan White
Published: 4:02pm, 21 May, 2020
Updated: 6:25pm, 21 May, 2020
A still from the video of tai chi master Ma Baoguo (right) talking to the referee ahead of his embarrassing 30-second knockout. Photo: Hupu
The knockout of 69-year-old tai chi master Ma Baoguo by a former martial arts coach 20 years his junior in Shandong has been watched around the world, with fans in China and overseas ridiculing the older man for taking on the challenge.
Ma was knocked down twice before being knocked out within 30 seconds and taken to hospital, where he recovered and has since left.
However, footage from before the fight that shows a conversation between Ma and the fight referee shared on Chinese social media seems to indicate that they were expecting the fight to be one-sided the other way.
The referee apparently appeals to Ma to show mercy to his opponent, telling him three times: “I have just one requirement, when I say stop you have to stop, you can’t continue to hit him.”
Ma for his part warned the referee ahead of the fight, “I am afraid of my [tai chi] routine hurting you” to which the referee replied, “I am not afraid”.
As it was, they were right about it being a one-sided fight.
Ma had built a reputation for outlandish statements, calling UFC strawweight champion Zhang Weili “stupid” and claiming that he could beat her in a fight.
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