Fighting fit

Boxing is becoming popular among China's white-collar workers as a way to battle bulging bellies and release pent-up stress, Zhao Ruinan reports.

It's shortly before noon. Zuo Yunfan finishes his morning work and walks out of his office in Beijing. Instead of joining his colleagues for lunch, Zuo slings a black bag over his shoulder and hits the street.

Fifteen minutes later, he enters Uppercut boxing studio in Beijing's Chaoyang district. He carefully wraps his hands with protective tape, puts on a pair of boxing gloves and begins a carefully regimented workout. His fists make a "Pop! Pop!" sound as he pounds his training partner's raised hand pads - his favorite part of the one-hour boxing class at the club.