Hong Kong boxer Rex Tso no match for world champion in Amman Olympic qualifiers
- The 32-year-old Hong Kong champion outclassed by Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov
- The ‘Wonder Kid’ gets another chance to qualify for Tokyo in fifth-sixth place box-off on Wednesday night
Hong Kong star boxer Rex Tso Sing-yu put up a game fight but it wasn’t enough to stop world featherweight champion Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov, of Uzbekistan, in the quarter-finals of the Asia/Oceania Olympic qualifiers in Amman, Jordan, on Monday night.
Tso knew he would have it extremely tough and although he boxed valiantly, his Uzbek opponent proved too good, scoring a convincing unanimous 5-0 victory at the Prince Hamzah Hall.
Mirzakhalilov, who was the No 1 seed in the tournament and was also last year’s Jakarta Asian Games gold medallist, was too quick and powerful for 32-year-old Tso, who reverted to amateur status more than two years after concluding a glorious career as an unbeaten professional.
However, Tso proved no match for the 25-year-old Uzbek champion who scored punches almost at will, impressing in the third and final round with a burst of body shots to Tso’s stomach.
Tso showed glimpses of brilliance and even put his opponent momentarily on the canvas but the Uzbek was never in trouble. Mirzakhalilov was in control from the opening bell in the featherweight (57kg) contest and although Tso tried to stay in the fight with a few shots of his own, the Hong Kong champion couldn’t keep up.
Tso has one more chance to make it to Tokyo on Wednesday and he remained upbeat despite the setback, vowing to give his all in the fifth/sixth place box-off.
