Biggest boxing bout ever in Hong Kong: record crowd expected for ‘Battle of Victors’ featuring Rex Tso
Organisers are confident all 5,000 tickets will be sold as interest in the ‘Wonder Kid’ continues to gain momentum for Saturday’s event at the Convention and Exhibition Centre
Organisers of Saturday’s “Battle of Victors” are confident of a sell-out crowd and the biggest ever attendance for a Hong Kong boxing event after an extra 500 tickets were put on sale earlier than expected due to overwhelming demand.
The weekend's expected crowd of 5,000 will be the biggest for a boxing event in Hong Kong history with Rex Tso Sing-yu’s popularity soaring during the past few months.
Watch: Rex Tso promo video for "Battle of Victors"
Unbeaten southpaw Tso (19-0-0, 12 KOs) will fight undefeated Japanese fighter Ryuto Maekawa (11-0-1, 7 KOs) in a 10-round contest at the Convention and Exhibition Centre with two belts on the line – the WBO international junior bantamweight title and the WBC Asia super flyweight title (115 pound) which the “Wonder Kid” holds.
“It’s going to be a sell-out for sure,” said a spokesman for DEF Promotions, who are co-promoting the event with Bob Arum’s Top Rank.
“And yes, it’s the biggest boxing event in Hong Kong history. Late last week, we almost sold out the 4,500 tickets that were released to the public.
“We put 500 seats on hold earlier and they’re now available. We were selling the tickets in phases and this week is the last phase for ticket sales,” he said.
Tso’s last fight against South Korea’s Young Gil-bae in May at the same venue attracted a crowd of 3,000 spectators, but this bout will be significantly bigger in terms of attendance and gate revenue with a world championship fight, possibly to be held next year, on the horizon.
“Rex’s fights are getting bigger and bigger and interest in him continues to accelerate,” said Tso’s manager and trainer, Jay Lau Chi-yuen.
Tso said: “It’s great when more fans come out to support me. I started fighting in front of small crowds a few years ago, and now it’s going to be 5,000. The crowd is going to help me in a big way.”
Tso is seeking a 20th straight victory that would boost his hopes of finally earning a world title shot next year.
The 29-year-old said his fitness level and condition had reached new levels after spending a month training in Cebu, the Philippines.
The “Wonder Kid” sparred with WBO bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales at the Wakee Salud Gym.
The 24-year-old Filipino Tapales, who is also a southpaw, pushed Tso to his physical limit and the “Wonder Kid” amazed the watching media with his lightning-fast speed and power in a workout on Sunday .
Tso is confident of victory against the 20-year-old Maekawa, who trains at the famed Watanabe Gym in Tokyo and is managed by former light flyweight great, Yoko Gushiken, who made 13 successful title defences in the 70s and 80s.
Hall of Famer Gushiken (23-1-0) retired after his single loss to Mexico Pedro Flores in 1981 at the age of just 26. He could not make the trip to Hong Kong to watch his young protege due to work commitments.
