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Rex Tso
SportBoxing

Could 2018 be Rex Tso’s breakthrough year? Hong Kong’s Wonder Kid might finally get his world title shot

The 30-year-old unbeaten star could challenge for the WBO super flyweight belt after ‘Monster’ Naoya Inoue looks likely to vacate his title and move up to bantamweight

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Rex Tso is moving closer to a world title shot. Photo: Edward Wong
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The stars are aligning for Hong Kong’s unbeaten super flyweight, Rex Tso Sing-yu, to finally step up and fight for a world title in 2018.

The city’s most successful and famous pugilist has been eyeing a world title shot for years and he might finally get his shot with news that WBO super flyweight champion Naoya Inoue is expected to vacate his title as he moves up to bantamweight.

If the “Monster” leaves the division, Tso (22-0-0, 13 KOs) – rated the number one WBO contender – would be asked to fight the number two contender, Philippines’ 26-year-old rising star, Aston Francis “Mighty” Palicte, for the vacant belt.

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Rex Tso has fully recovered from his injuries sustained in his last fight against Japan’s Kohei Kono. Photo: Edward Wong
Rex Tso has fully recovered from his injuries sustained in his last fight against Japan’s Kohei Kono. Photo: Edward Wong

Inoue made the announcement that he had fought his last fight in the 115-pound division on Saturday night, bringing relief to the Tso camp, who have always been wary of facing Japan’s wrecking machine.

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The 24-year-old Inoue crushed his latest opponent in Yokohama on Saturday night, blasting hapless Frenchman, Yoann Boyeaux, in a third-round TKO that solidified his reputation as one of the world’s most exciting pound-for-pound fighters. Inoue improved his record to 15-0 with 13 KOs, while Boyeaux slipped to 41-5, 26 KOs.

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