[2017.01.11] REX TSO BECOMES THE NEXT DARLING OF ADVERTISING AND FILM

Rex Tso's idols are Bruce Lee and Donnie Yen

While making IP MAN THE FINAL FIGHT, Anthony Wong trained with Checkley Sin

Eric Kwok says that not everyone gets to take a punch from Rex Tso, so he feels very honored

Ti Lung

Kenneth Tsang
courtesy of on.cc

"Wonder Kid" Rex Tso Sing Yu is the latest top WBO Super Flyweight boxer, the first Hong Kong boxer to reach number one in the world. He has also become a hot property in show business. Many film companies have had their eyes on him for his film debut. The National Art Entertainment Culture company, which has produced films like THE LEGEND IS BORN: IP MAN and IP MAN: THE FINAL FIGHT, was interested in a film with Tso Sing Yu and planned to tailor a script for him. Its boss Checkley Sin Kwok Lam wanted Tso Sing Yu to be able to display his real skills on screen.

Sin Kwok Lam said, "Actually I have always had my eye on this young man. Yesterday I was just talking to friends about him. We are both martial artists. His achievements today come from a lot of hardship and difficult training." Sin Kwok Lam said that he was in contact with Tso Sing Yu through a third party in hopes of gauging his interest in making a movie and whether his schedule would permit it. He continued. "I would find someone to tailor a script for him. (To make him into the Hong Kong Tony Jaa?) The story will be inspirational and about the struggle to overcome the odds, which was also the past IP MAN films' theme as well." According to Tso Sing Yu's coach, his idols were the late film star Bruce Lee and the "Strongest in the Universe" Donnie Yen Chi Tan. "Sometimes when he poses for pictures he would imitate Bruce Lee."

His manager and coach Lau Chi Yuen said, that many film companies have made offers to Tso Sing Yu a long time ago. "We really appreciate Sin Kwok Lam's interest. Actually for the past few years film companies have approached Tso Sing Yu about movies, but our team after consideration turned them down because he was focused on fights in the ring. His fame now came from the ring. For the next few years he cannot possibly be able to leave to the ring. Maybe one day he will retire, then he will be able to try other jobs."

Lau Chi Yuen admitted that in the past scripts that were offered to Tso Sing Yu, the characters were not his expertise of fighting. "Instead they offered him drama, now he has five or six advertising campaigns. If he will make movies he will have less time to be with his family and training. If he stop doing other things for a week, he would have to spend double the time to get back into competitive shape." Lau Chi Yuen quoted Tso Sing Yu of saying, "As long as I am not retired, am still an athlete. I fight for competition. Now I still don't have the space or the time to make movies as well."