Decision time: Rex Tso to decide whether to go for world title in September or wait another year
The ‘Wonder Kid’ will have a week or two to think about the biggest decision of his life as he mulls over the chance of a lifetime ... with the world super flyweight title at stake
Unbeaten southpaw Rex Tso Sing-yu will make the biggest decision of his life in the next fortnight: whether to go for the world super flyweight title in September or wait another year while honing his skills.
Rex can have a world title shot in September; it’s all up to him
A day after pummelling South Korean veteran Young Gil-bae into submission with a highly impressive fourth-round TKO in Saturday night’s “Clash of Champions”, Hong Kong’s “Wonder Kid” has been afforded the chance to push his world title bid a few months forward against ageing Japanese WBA super flyweight champion Kohei Kono.
Originally, Tso was supposed to have one last preparatory fight in September before challenging the 35-year-old Tokyo-based fighter for his WBA title in December in Hong Kong. But Kono wants to defend his title at home during the traditional Japanese holiday on December 31, so that means December is a no-go date. Now there’s talk of moving the fight to September, which is less than ideal for the Wonder Kid.
WATCH REX TSO PUMMEL YOUNG GIL-BAE
“Rex can have a world title shot in September; it’s all up to him,” said Tso’s manager and trainer, Jay Lau Chi-yuen.
“We didn’t agree that we would fight for the world title in September. Rex just finished his last fight and he needs to really think long and hard about it because this is going to be a big jump. He will need a week or two weeks to decide what’s his next move,” he said.
Top Rank chairman Bob Arum was among the 2,800-strong crowd and was also impressed by Tso’s latest exploits in the ring. The legendary promoter is trying to hammer out a deal with Kono’s promoter, Akihiko Honda, for a September world title fight in Hong Kong.
“Rex just gets better and better – Rex is a promoter’s dream. We’ll try to go for a world title fight in September. We hope to build Hong Kong into a major venue for the sport of boxing. Hopefully his next fight will be a world title fight. We’ll see what we can work out,” said the 84-year-old promoter at ringside on Saturday.