In China for the Mercury News

A view of the smoggy Pudong skyline on the East bank of the Huangpu River is seen from the Bund on the west bank, in Shanghai, China on April 15, 2007. (LiPo Ching/San Jose Mercury News)

I was in China for three weeks in March and April to shoot for several Mercury News stories dealing with pollution, clean tech, online dating and American expat venture capitalists. More photos coming...

NPPA Clip Contest Winner

"Surrounded by family, Diana May holds daughter Lauren at a memorial Saturday for her slain husband, East Palo Alto Police officer Richard May Jr., who was killed one year ago today. The memorial was held at the St. Francis of Assisi Church in East Palo Alto on January 6, 2007.

LiPo Ching, San Jose Mercury News, January 2007, General News, 3rd Place. National Press Photographers Association Regional Clip Contest, Region 10.

American Metal and Iron Fight Night

About the only sport I like to watch is boxing, so I grabbed an opportunity to shoot James “Lights Out” Toney's attempt at a comeback in the heavyweight division at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, CA on May 24, 2007. This was the first live boxing match I've attended and wanted to get some experience shooting it. Nhat Meyer was the the photographer on the assignment for the Mercury News - see his excellent slideshow [Nhat's Slideshow]. Lots of fun... (Photos by LiPo Ching)



"Hard-hitting action returned to HP Pavilion at San Jose on Thursday, May 24, 2007 with the second night of the American Metal and Iron Fight Night at the Tank season. The successful boxing series hosted four inspired bouts before a crowd of 4,269, highlighted by James “Lights Out” Toney’s main event fight." (Excerpted from www.fightnightatthetank.com)



"Toney (70-6-3, 43 KOs) survived a strong showing by Danny Batchelder (25-5-1, 12 KOs) earning the split decision in the slow-paced fight. Toney, a seven-time World Champion and future first ballot Hall of Famer, struggled to control the bout against the gritty Batchelder as the two boxers looked cautious and tentative throughout the fight." (Excerpted from www.fightnightatthetank.com)



" [though] Toney won a 10-round split decision over Batchelder... in the process he exposed his ambition of becoming heavyweight champion as being nothing more than a pipe dream. When the scores were read - 98-92 and 97-93 for Toney and 96-94 for Batchelder - the crowd of 4,269 showered him with boos. But Toney (70-9-3) refused to acknowledge that his time had passed. "I'm not done," he said. "I just looked that way." (excerpted from Dylan Hernandez/Mercury News)