TSO AND MAEKAWA MAKE WEIGHT FOR ?BATTLE OF VICTORS?
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 07 Oct 2016
HONG KONG - Rex Tso (19W-0L,12KO?s) of Hong Kong and Ryuto Maekawa (11W-0L-1D, 7KO?s) of Japan easily made the division limit during the official weigh-in held Friday at the Olympian City.
They will clash in the main event for the fight card billed as ?Battle of Victors? for the vacant WBO International super flyweight title and the WBC Asia Boxing Council super flyweight title.
Both Tso and Maekawa weighed in at 115 lbs. The fight will be held October 8 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center. Top Rank chairman Bob Arum was on hand during the ceremonies.
Tso, a 29 year old southpaw known as ?The Wonder Kid? was a staple on the undercards of Top Rank promoted fight cards in Macao from 2013 to 2015. His last two fights were in front of his home fans and he scored TKO wins against Brad Hore of Australia and Young Gil-Bae of South Korea.
Rex Tso and Ryuto Maekawa pose during Friday's weighin in Hong Kong.
Tso has been traveling to the Philippines to train in the Rex ?Wakee? Salud gym in Cebu City. His latest stint lasted four weeks and he had a chance to spar with recently crowned WBO world bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales, who Tso described as ?very fast and strong.? Tso?s cornerman, Jake Verano, is a Filipino.
The 20 year old Maekawa started his career in Thailand in 2011, winning three fights and had one win in the Philippines ? by TKO against Leonardo Talisic in Muntinlupa ? before going back to fight in his native Japan in 2013. His last two fights were against Filipinos ? a draw against Cris Alfante and a KO victory against Bimbo Nacionales.
For the undercards:
Australian Paul Fleming and Filipino Jerope Mercado.
Paul Fleming (22-0,14KO?s) of Australia vs Jerope Mercado (27W-8L-3D, 9KO?s) of the Philippines. Fleming stepped on the scales at 129 lbs while Mercado weighed 135lbs. Mercado will be wearing the heavier 10oz gloves on fight night. They will fight for eight rounds.
Fleming?s last fight was in Cebu City, on the undercard of WBO super bantamweight champ Nonito Donaire?s successful title defense against Zsolt Bedak of Hungary. Fleming won the vacant WBC Continental Americas superfeatherweight title by unanimous decision against Mexican Miguel Angel Gonzalez.
Mercado is coming off a TKO loss against Mexico?s Miguel Roman last July in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
There will be two other Filipinos will see action on the undercard - Jay ?Rapido? Solmiano (18W- 3L -1D,14KO?s) who will trade punches with Thai Chaloemporn Sawatsuk (17W- 1L, 13KO?s) and Rey Megrino (22W- 20L-4D,19KO?s), who will face Indonesian Jason Butar Butar (21W-18L-1D, 14KO?s).
Jay Solmiano, a Filipino based in Hong Kong and Thai Chaloeporn Sawatsuk.
Solmiano weighed in at 145lbs while Chaloeporm was at 153lbs. They will clash for eight rounds. Megrino and Butar-butar both weighed 125lbs for their six rounder.
Last May, Solmiano returned from a two year hiatus to beat Japanese Takahiro Oda a.k.a. Jumbo Oda Nobunaga Shoten Petagine by TKO in the fourth round here in Hong Kong.
Solmiano is a former Philippine lightweight and WBO Asia-Pacific champion and is now based in Hong Kong. He dabbled in kickboxing one year ago before deciding to return as a boxer.
Rey Megrino (Philippines) and Jason Butar-butar (Indonesia).
Megrino?s biggest win was in 2012, when he stopped the former long reigning WBC world flyweight champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam of Thailand in three rounds in a WBC International title bout held in Thailand.
For the rest of the supporting matches:
Raymond Poon KaiChing (Hong Kong) ? 107lbs vs Pakpoom Hammarach (Thailand) ? 108 lbs ? 6 rounds.
In his pro debut last May, Poon beat Hin Leong of Macau by unanimous decision after four rounds
Two debuting boxers Weng Son Nong (Macao)- 123lbs vs. Pak Ho Lai (Hong Kong)- 120lbs ? 4 rounds
Tom Taw (U.K.) ? 159lbs vs. Marco Tuhumury (Indonesia) ? 163lbs ? 4 rounds.
There will be an exhibition four rounder between Surez Gurung (Nepal) ? 121lbs and James Gibbs (Australia)- 119lbs.
World famous ring announcer Lupe Contreras was on hand as the master of ceremonies for the weigh-in. The WBO and WBC regional contests will be supervised by WBO Asia-Pacific chief Leon Panoncillo with Damrong Simakajornboon of Thailand, who will represent the WBC.
The fights will be officiated by the Professional Commission Boxing (PBC), International. This boxing show is promoted by DEF Promotions in partnership with Top Rank.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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