The Sunday Mail
Two months ago, Hong Kong’s unbeaten Rex Tso Sing-yu looked like the odds-on favourite to become China’s next world champion.
Today? Not so much.
In February, Tso (12-0, 8 KOs) knocked out Japan’s Mako Matsuyama in Macao to retain the World Boxing Council’s Asian continental super flyweight title and add the World Boxing Organisation’s Asia-Pacific junior bantamweight crown to his collection.
That stylish victory elevated Tso to No. 11 in the WBC global rankings and positioned him for a shot at International Boxing Federation world champion Daiki Kameda, but the Japanese fighter recently relinquished the belt because of difficulties making the 115-pound weight limit.
The title will now be contested by the IBF’s top two contenders, Zolani Tete of South Africa and Teiru Kinoshita of Japan.
Tso, who will fight a 10-rounder against an as yet unsigned opponent at the Venetian Macao on May 31, has now set his sights on WBC champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai of Thailand (27-3-1, 25 KOs) — but he will have to wait in line.
Rungvisai is also fighting on May 31 — a compulsory title defence against No. 1-ranked Carlos Cuadras (29-0, 24 KOs) in Mexico City.
No matter who wins, Tso will likely be well down the list of potential challengers.
“I studied Kameda for months, so when I heard he gave up his title I was very disappointed that I won’t get to fight him,” the 26-year-old Tso told the South China Morning Post before heading to Bangkok to accept the WBC’s Asian Prospect of the Year award this month.
“I was eager to fight Kameda and I was planning how to beat him. I was excited about the prospect of fighting him, and I was confident of winning.
“Now I have to take a different path, but I still remain hopeful of becoming a world champion one day.”
In the meantime, Tso’s trainer-manager, Jay Lau Chi-yuen, will concentrate on refining and improving the talented southpaw’s inside fighting. Impressive wins on May 31 and in a tune-up bout slated for late July could leapfrog Tso right into the mix for a crack at the WBC crown.
“Rex has to improve exchanging punches when he goes toe-to-toe at close range,” said Lau.
“He needs two more bouts in which to show improvements. — China Daily.
