At the end of May, a young man arrived in Beijing. His name is Zhang Fangyong, and the move marked the start of a new phase in his life and career.

Zhang is a boxer, and he has come to the Chinese capital from Kunming, capital of southwestern Yunnan Province, his original training base and the place where he turned pro.

He was born in a small, remote mountain village in southwest China, a five- to six-hour drive from the city of Chongqing. There, as a child, he nurtured a powerful ambition to escape rural poverty, and succeed in life. 

However, the road to fame and fortune has turned out to be a hard one. His family has been unable to offer him much support, and he has faced a constant struggle to make ends meet, while continuing his boxing career. 

In Beijing, he has found it's hard for himself to adapt to the fast pace of the urban life and the high cost of living. He earns some money as a part-time food deliveryman. 

He and his girlfriend live in a rented basement. His daily routine consists of training, delivering food, and preparing meals.

The dilemma he faces is that by concentrating fully on his training, he risks letting opportunities to make money slip through his fingers; on the other hand, spending too much time working will undermine his efforts to be a successful boxer.

Zhang has gradually come to the realization that the biggest challenges do not come from his opponents in the ring, but from life.

But still, his passion continues to burn bright. He is determined to pursue his dream. Having represented China and winning his bout in the 4th China-Japan Boxing Championship earlier this year, the 25-year-old feels he may still have a bright future as a boxer.

(The second video: Courtesy of Rediscovering China)