Rex Tso camp upset by Japanese opponent's pull-out from Clash in Cotai II
Unbeaten Hong Kong southpaw must plan his strategy again after Kenta Okumura injures his hand in training
Hong Kong’s unbeaten boxer Rex Tso Sing-yu has been thrown another curve ball after his Japanese opponent withdrew from this month’s undercard in Clash in Cotai II because of a hand injury.
Southpaw Tso had trained specially for Japan’s Kenta Okumura (12-2-1, 3 KOs) from Kumamoto for the November 23 fight, but now have to contend with another super flyweight Japanese fighter, Tatsuya Fukuhara (13-4-5, 4 KOs), also from Kumamoto.
We are extremely upset that Rex has to fight another opponent because we worked for months on Rex’s technique against another southpaw
"We are extremely upset that Rex has to fight another opponent because we worked for months on Rex’s technique against another southpaw [Okumura]. We hired southpaw sparring partners too,” said Tso’s trainer Jay Lau Chi-yuen.
"We hope to find a stronger Thai opponent and get Top Rank [promoters] to okay it. But it is disappointing that this has had to happen," he said.
Tso (14-0-0, 9 KOs) suffered a similar fate in May's Featherweight Fury when he challenged Thailand's Ratchasak Kokietgym, a late replacement for another fighter, who pulled out of the fight because of injury.
Tso was twice knocked down before winning on points against the Thai, but suffered severe bruising to his hands and broken blood vessels in his nose.