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Mike Chan

Hong Kong boxer Raymond Poon Kai-ching is giving himself six more months to prolong his professional career in the ring.
The 27-year-old is open to another return to amateur boxing to represent his home city again, just like he did when he fought and won at the Ultimate Extreme Fight Hong Kong 2023 event in January.
“If I still do not land another bout by August, I will then talk to my coach about the decision,” he said.
“A boxer’s time is very limited, I do not want to keep waiting and it is just a reality check. Whether as a pro or an amateur, I am still a boxer.
“I just need to answer to myself. Have I done my best in every fight? The views of those outsiders do not matter at all. Just one fight will be able to keep me going though, and we’ll go from there.”

That coincides with the plans of Jake Verano, who has been coaching Poon since 2016.
“Poon needs more fights but sparring partners are difficult to find in Hong Kong,” Verano – himself a former Philippines champion – said.
“At his weight class, opponents are learning more from him than Poon is off them whenever a fight happens.
“To arrange a fight before the end of March is probably too soon. We are looking at April to June for an overseas bout, most probably in the Philippines.”

The 41-year-old Verano revealed he has a two-year plan for Poon – the first part is to “reactivate” him with a fight or two, before getting him back into the rankings.
“We’ll see what level we can get him to next year. If things are good we’ll then look for a title fight and hope to make Poon an Asia champion,” Verano said.
With his last professional fight almost four years ago – a unanimous decision loss to China’s Li Xiang for the vacant WBO (World Boxing Organisation) youth light flyweight title in May 2019 – Poon reckons time may not be on his side any more.
“I am no longer in my early 20s,” Poon, who has been boxing for almost a decade, said. “I think in three or four years I am probably approaching the end of my career, either as a pro or an amateur.”

Having won his first WBC-ABC (World Boxing Council and Asian Boxing Council) continental title in July 2018, in a majority decision win over Japan’s Ryo Narizuka, Poon said he would love to have another crack.
“If I can do that, I can be like Rex Tso Sing-yu in his professional days and go on to challenge to be Asia champion,” he said. “Achieving that will make me a world top 15 boxer in my weight class.”
Poon – a former WBC Youth Intercontinental light flyweight title holder – will not be able to represent Hong Kong at the Asian Games or the Olympic Games as long as he holds professional status.

But he is determined to do all he can to help boxing flourish as a sport in the city.
“I want to lead more people into boxing and to grow this sport into a more mature market,” Poon said. “The more developed the sport is, the more boxers – be they professionals or amateurs – will think there is a way out in this sport.
“I just thought this is what I ought to do, sharing experience with the next generation. Having been an athlete for almost a decade, I want to help the up-and-comers so that their paths can be easier.”
Looking beyond his fighting days, Poon expects himself to take up a coaching role – either at his own gym or at Verano’s brand new, HK$5 million boxing gym in Sai Ying Poon.

“It is a dream come true for me, I want to produce more fighters and champions in Hong Kong because I really love boxing,” Verano – who has over 22 years of coaching experience – said. “I believe we can do that.
“Boxing is still a very young sport in Hong Kong, and people probably still have the misconception this is a violent sport but it is actually a sport of discipline, hard work and coordination.
“It requires perfection in every sense too. We are talking about speed, power, techniques and stamina. It is a process that demands consistency throughout.”


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Boxing

Hong Kong boxer Raymond Poon insists it’s do or die for his professional career over next 6 months

Raymoond Poon Kai-ching at Verano Boxing Club in Sai Ying Pun. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Boxing trainer Jake Verano at Verano Boxing Club in Sai Ying Pun. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Raymond Poon Kai-ching is considering a move back to amateur boxing with his professional career stalling. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Raymond Poon Kai-ching is looking to contribute more to the sport of boxing. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Raymond Poon Kai-ching during a personal training class at Verano Boxing Club in Sai Ying Pun. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Verano Boxing Club is the only personal gym in Hong Kong that has a HK$150,000, full size ring. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Rex Tso words of wisdom inspire protégé Raymond Poon to World Boxing Council Asia title from humble Tin Shui Wai beginnings

Poon soaks in the win alongside Def chief Jay Lau. Photos: Handout

Poon spent the majority of his life as a "really ordinary" boy in Tin Shui Wai.

Poon celebrates winning the WBC ABCO Light Flyweight Continental Title.

Poon insists he is not afraid of the limelight as he continues to follow the path paved by Rex Tso.

Hong Kong's most successful boxer Rex Tso shares his thoughts on Poon at a MassMutual promotional event on Friday.

Poon (right) and Narizuka squared off ahead of their headline event.

Raymond Poon’s latest loss is another savage blow to Hong Kong boxing

Raymond Poon and trainer Jake Verano moments before their WBO world youth title fight at the Convention and Exhibition Centre. Photo: DEF Boxing

Li Xiang and Raymond Poon await the judges' decision

Raymond Poon and Li Xiang get it on during their WBO world youth title fight

Raymond Poon with swollen eyes after his defeat

Hong Kong superstar boxer Rex Tso Sing-yu (red) in action against Taiwan's Chiang Yi-hung (blue) as part of the Hong Kong Boxing Championships and UEF Championship at the Southorn Stadium in Wan Chai. 30NOV18 SCMP / Winson Wong

Raymond Poon is hugged by his mother after his defeat

Tale of the tape of Raymond Poon and Li Xiang

Local star Raymond Poon wants to silence the haters in We Are Champs comeback bout – ‘boxing is still alive’

Hong Kong's Raymond Poon Kai-ching (right) fights Indonesia's Frengky Rohi in the Clash of Champions 3 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai in 2017. Photo: SCMP / Edward Wong

Raymond Poon Kai-ching sparring ahead of his We Are Champs event in Hong Kong in August. Photo: Alex Wan

Raymond Poon, Rex Tso and Jay Lau at DEF Boxing Gym. 01AUG16 SCMP/ Unus Alladin

Hong Kong boxer Raymond Poon Kai-ching in his face-off against former national Muay Thai champion Dylan Yiu Tat-fai at the We Are Champs 2021 boxing crossover exhibition event press conference.  Photo: We Are Champs

Raymond Poon Kai-ching is a local boxer and coach fighting at We Are Champs. Photo: Handout

We Are Champs: boxer Raymond Poon finally beats Muay Thai star Dylan Yiu in intense trilogy

Hong Kong boxer Raymond Poon Kai-ching in his win against multiple national Muay Thai champion Dylan Yiu Tat-fai at the We Are Champs in Star Hall in Kowloon Bay. Photo: We Are Champs

Hong Kong Muay Thai fighter Ng King-chung (left) after beating fellow multiple Muay Thai champion Kenneth Lee Kam-lam at the We Are Champs boxing event in Star Hall in Kowloon Bay. Photo: We Are Champs

Local Muay Thai combat legends Stuart Chin Sze-kit (left) and Li Yiu-tung in their exhibition boxing debuts at the We Are Champs in Star Hall, Kowloon Bay in September. Photo: We Are Champs

Hong Kong YouTuber Jason Chau (right) beats Boyz band member Steven Cheung Chi-hang at the We Are Champs in Star Hall in Kowloon Bay in September. Photo: We Are Champs

Hong Kong boxer Raymond Poon Kai-ching before his bout against Dylan Yiu Tat-fai at the We Are champs event in Star Hall in Kowloon Bay in September. Photo: We Are Champs

HK Esports founder Derek Cheung (left) in his amateur boxing win against influencer Joseph Lam Chok at the We Are Champs event in Star Hall in Kowloon Bay. Photo: We Are Champs

Sport

Hong Kong

Poon wants another crack at continental title and to ‘be like Rex Tso’ and challenge for an Asia championship
His coach Jake Verano believes Hong Kong can produce champion boxers after opening new gym in Sai Ying Pun


Raymond Poon Kai-ching is ready to abandon the professional ring and represent Hong Kong again if he cannot secure another fight by August.


Rex Tso

Li Xi

Hong Kong boxer Raymond Poon insists it’s do or die for his professional career over next 6 months

Poon wants another crack at continental title and to ‘be like Rex Tso’ and challenge for an Asia championship His coach Jake Verano believes Hong Kong can produce champion boxers after opening new gym in Sai Ying Pun

Poon wants another crack at continental title and to ‘be like Rex Tso’ and challenge for an Asia championship

His coach Jake Verano believes Hong Kong can produce champion boxers after opening new gym in Sai Ying Pun