Source:
https://scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/1510829/change-opponent-forces-rex-tso-strategic-switch Hong Kong
Change of opponent forces Rex Tso into strategic switch
Hong Kong's unbeaten 'Wonder Kid' now faces a tougher rival in Macau clash
Rex Tso (right) will face a tougher bout against Thai southpaw Tiger Tor Buamas in Featherweight Fury later this month. Photo: K.Y. Cheng
Rex Tso Sing-yu has been forced to change his strategy just three weeks before he fights on the undercard of Featherweight Fury in Macau after an unexpected switch in opponents.
The unbeaten 26-year-old Hong Kong fighter (12-0-0, 8 KOs), who is training in the Philippines, now faces a tougher opponent after his original matchup against Atsushi Kakutani (14-4-1, 7 KOs) had to be shelved because the Japanese boxer suffered a fractured wrist in training.
Tiger Tor Buamas (17-1-0, 12 KOs), of Thailand, will provide an even tougher challenge for Tso, who is hoping to earn a world title shot by the end of the year.
Buamas is a southpaw like Tso and is considered a powerful knockout artist, of whom the Tso camp will be wary in the super flyweight contest at the CotaiArena on May 31.
"He has the ability to knock out opponents with just one punch and his record shows that. He is a southpaw just like Rex and has an identical knockout ratio [66.67 per cent]," said Tso's manager and trainer, Jay Lau Chi-yuen. "Buamas has boxed far more rounds, 96 to Rex's 49.
"Rex doesn't usually fight fellow southpaws. The last time he fought a southpaw was against Timur Shailezov [of Kyrgyzstan in 2012] and Rex was almost knocked out before he came back to win on a TKO. "Buamas is more experienced, has a better ring record and is a guaranteed better puncher than his previous opponents.
"It's really frustrating that Rex must change tactics less than three weeks before the fight.
"He had his mind focused on Kakutani, but Rex is happy and excited he has a tougher opponent ahead because he knows he will be able to showcase his skills even more," said Lau.
Buamas, 28, is the World Boxing Council ABCO (Asia) bantamweight champion and a former World Boxing Organisation (WBO) Oriental bantamweight champion.
A world-rated fighter, the Thai suffered his only loss as a professional in January against the Philippines' Alie Laurel in a stunning fifth-round TKO defeat.
"Rex has to be very careful with this guy because Buamas will go straight to the opponent's body and lead them on to his powerful right hook," said Lau
"Rex has to correct everything he has worked hard for during the past several weeks. He has to change his sparring partner to a southpaw and make other changes, too."