He's back, Rex Tso, tasting victory once again.
"The Wonder Kid," "The Undefeated Boxing King"—his figure standing before the bauhinia regional flag on the professional ring, arms raised in triumph, was frozen in time in 2017 with a 22-fight winning streak. Later came his transition to amateur boxing and the story of experiencing the lows of being knocked down in life. Eight years later, on the day of his return to professional boxing, he walked onto the ring swinging his fists and arms amidst his team's support, making a grand entrance to the music of RubberBand's song.
This was his first fight since returning to professional boxing. Without clinging to the glory of his past, the 38-year-old pushed against the current, breaking through the mist of eight years, and ultimately extended his professional winning streak to 23 fights. On this day, he defeated not only his opponent but also himself.
It had been a long time since we saw Rex under the spotlight.
From entering the arena to the rhythm of music before the raised bauhinia regional flag to the victorious moment of having his right hand raised after winning, everything felt so familiar. The man before us said that the moment the heavy beat of his entrance music played, "I already felt like crying." From packing the 8,000-seat Wan Chai Convention Centre in the past to now competing in a modest banquet hall of a sports club in Manila spanning a few thousand square feet, this "comeback" felt even more real and heartfelt after shedding the lavish arrangements and glory of the past.
"Before, it felt like there was a membrane when I boxed," he described of his amateur period. "There was a sense of confusion. I knew I wanted to make a move, but it felt like there was a membrane wrapping around me. My mind wanted to act, but my body felt stuck, a few beats slow. By the time I could react, I had already missed many opportunities."
Amateur boxing was a challenge that took him out of his comfort zone. At the time, he was determined to qualify for the Olympics and adjusted his style for amateur matches. With only three rounds, the pace was as fast as the wind. For him, accustomed to 12-round "marathons," everything felt like starting from scratch.
In his thirties, he struggled to keep up with the amateur pace and ultimately missed qualifying for both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. Compared to his victory speeches on the professional ring, where he once wrote an undefeated legend, representing Hong Kong often led to tearful apologies. During those years, boxing did not bring him happiness.
The experience of being heavily knocked down during his amateur days brought him back to the stage that suits him best. "Now I clearly know where I need to move, how to throw combinations, and how to defend." After eight years, he finally rediscovered his confident, focused self in the ring—free from the helplessness he once struggled with.
After knocking out his opponent in his comeback fight, he embraced his coach emotionally and couldn't hold back tears even before the official announcement. The significance of this fight far exceeded winning or losing. Eight years later, Rex is back.
"I never thought I could return to this professional ring," he said, choking up as he began his post-fight speech. He openly admitted that even if he had lost, he would still have been happy because he genuinely enjoyed the match and executed his training and techniques. "I saw you smiling at your opponent in the ring. Were you enjoying it that much?" I asked. He squinted and smiled, explaining, "Smiling is actually my way of communicating with my opponent. When I hit him, I smile to say, 'I got you.' Then he smiles back. Later, when he hits me, he signals it to me, and I smile again. It's a mutual acknowledgment of each other's good punches."
"Enjoying the match more than the outcome"
Listening to him, it was clear that the Rex who breaks into a cute smile when talking about boxing was truly back.
"Enjoyment, enjoyment—I enjoyed it immensely," he continued.
"Did you miss this feeling?" I asked again.
"Yes, it felt familiar, like rediscovering the feeling of boxing. I hadn't experienced this kind of match in the past eight years," he replied slowly.
In recent years, he gradually faded from the spotlight, but during his time away from the public eye, he continued training diligently. When asked about the catalyst for his comeback, the truth is that he never gave up or stopped boxing. "They (the team) asked if I was interested in fighting again, and I was tempted. I started training in February or March to test my condition. It was tough at first, but as I kept training and working with my brothers, it started to feel good again. So I thought, why not give it another try?"
"Brothers" by his side as his strength
The "brothers" Rex refers to include former professional boxer and manager Lennon Choi, whom Rex met during his professional career. Their goal is for Rex to challenge for a world championship within five fights. The coaches and team at Rex's gym, "RCT Boxing," fully supported his return to professional boxing. Coaches took turns sparring with him, and the team poured effort into preparing for the pre-fight press conference, arranging media coverage, and designing crew T-shirts, all of which touched Rex deeply.
"Like Lennon flying in before the weigh-in, staying with us, taking care of us, worrying about whether we'd have enough to eat after the weigh-in. He was busy from morning to night, even acting as our driver."
Rex is grateful to have comrades by his side through highs and lows. "Some people have always supported me. Though they may not express it explicitly, they quietly do many things for me, and I feel it. I'm deeply grateful to them. Without them, I wouldn't be standing in the ring today." He added, "They have become my strength."
Rex noted that starting over after disappointment wasn't about courage. "I don't think it takes great courage. Even without mentioning the 22-fight winning streak, I never really held myself to that standard. Even when I kept losing during my amateur days, of course, I was unhappy, but it never stopped me from doing what I love."
(Source: Wen Wei Po; Journalist: Ye Shimin; English Editor: Darius)
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