BAKU - China's Olympic champion Zou Shiming, aged 30, roared into the final of the 48kg category at the 2011 AIBA World Boxing Championship in Azerbaijan's capital Baku on Friday.

In the semifinal bout, Zou beat Russia's David Ayrapetyan 15-8. He will meet South Korea's Shin Jong on Saturday in the final.

Another Chinese boxer Wang Huanhuan in the 91kg category lost to Azerbaijan's Teymur Mammadov and won a bronze medal.

In the 81kg category, China's Meng Fanlong booked the country a berth for the 2012 London Olympic Games but lost to Adilbek Niyazimbetov from Kazakhstan.

The 2011 AIBA World Boxing Championships will run until October 10, 2011 in Baku, and have a particular significance as the first major qualifying event for the London 2012 Olympic Games.