My evolution has just started, says WBA title holder Xu Can

China's only reigning professional boxing champion Xu Can claimed here on Monday that his boxing journey has only just started.

Xu Can, known as "the Monster," defended his WBA featherweight title for the second time after defeating U.S. challenger Manny Robles III on November 23 in California.

The 25-year-old created the Featherweight record for punches thrown in the fight at 1,562.

"I didn't know that I did that. Because my eyes were hit in round eight. From then on, I could barely see him or focus on anything," said Xu Can in his M23 Boxing Club, with his right eye still congested.

"I lost in the panic for about ten seconds. Then I came back."

Xu Can launched controlling attacks to Robles with steady moves and sharp hooks - the most important technique that he learned from famed Cuban coach Pedro Diaz.

"I can feel that Pedro has very strong power inside him. He helped me to become a more confident man, to show who I am in the ring."

This confidence also controlled his anxiety during his training. Xu used to push himself into the limit, but now he tries to limit himself and to avoid self-torture.

"He is a real man of steel. He has many valuable qualities that you can find in every top professional athlete," said Lu Xiaolong, CEO of Max Power Promotions.

Lu said the market reaction was very positive compared to Xu's latest two victories.

In January this year, Xu defeated former champion Jesus Rojas of Puerto Rico by unanimous decision in Houston of the United States to claim his first ever career title, becoming China's first WBA champion.

After that, he was awarded as the first Chinese "five star" boxer by the BoxRec website.

In May, Xu succeeded in defending his WBA featherweight title in his hometown Fuzhou in China's Jiangxi Province, after defeating challenger Shun Kubo of Japan by technical knockout.

"Maybe it's how the Chinese professional market runs: you need to prove yourself constantly, then the market will eventually admit you, and accept you," Lu said.

The next goal of the China's youngest world professional boxing champion is to fight against IBF featherweight title holder Josh Warrington -- and stamp his name in the books as a Super Champion.