QINGDAO, July 25 (Xinhua) -- China's boxing legend Xiong Chaozhong, 36, will fight Thailand's Thammanoon Niyomtrong for the World Boxing Association (WBA) minimumweight championship here on Friday.

"Niyomtrong is a very powerful boxer and he is younger than me, but I am very confident with this fight. I had systematic training for two months in accordance with the opponent's tactics," Xiong said in a press conference on Wednesday.

Xiong, who beat Javier Martinez Resendiz of Mexico in 2012 to become the first professional boxing champion from China, won the World Boxing Council (WBC) international minimumweight championship after beating Japan's Hiroya Yamamoto in 2015.

After leaving the ring for 16 months, Xiong issued his challenge to Niyomtrong in August last year. Niyomtrong had to decline the fight because of military service.

Xiong defeated Panya Pradabsri of Thailand in October of 2017. "Xiong is a very experienced boxer, but I am faster," said Niyomtrong in the press conference.

Also on Friday, Froilan Saludar from the Philippines will battle against Japan's Sho Kimura, the defending World Boxing Organization (WBO) flyweight champion.