ALA rues Magsayo’s early exit, says they had big plans
ALA Promotions was on the verge of giving Mark Magsayo a huge fight before he bolted and got a new manager and promoter.
“That was the year that I talked to him already, the build-up for him. We had some talks with Top Rank, we worked with Bob (Arum). We were talking about plans for him. We had some big plans for Mark. But I don’t know, he had his own direction. In the next few days I’m sure that our lawyers will be able to discuss everything,” ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer said.
The 22-year-old Magsayo, one of the promising young fighters being groomed by ALA Promotions, signed with Malaysia-based Vikram Sivapragasam and a new promoter, Now Boxing Promotions. He will be based in Las Vegas.
Magsayo said that his managerial and promotional contracts with ALA Promotions have already expired but Aldeguer inisists that only the managerial contract expired.
“It’s with our lawyers right now. I think I have said my piece already, that he still has a contract with us. All I can say is that if you see in 2017, that was the first year that Magsayo had two main events in Pinoy Pride. We gave him his chance to shine. We gave him his dream of a fight in Tagbilaran. As a nineyear-old kid when he watched (Rey Bautista) ‘Boom-Boom’, I remember he said that it was his dream. He had that dream in 2004, and 13 years later it happened for him. Everything was good and that was the plan for 2017. And ALA wouldn’t have built him up if there was no contract,” he said.
Magsayo started boxing under the ALA Gym in Tagbilaran City as an amateur. He made it to the pro ranks in 2013 and was built up to become a future star.
Magsayo, now ranked No. 1 in both the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and the World Boxing Council (WBC), headlined two Pinoy Pride events last year, one at the IEC Convention Center and the other in his hometown of Tagbilaran City.
“We’ve always believed in agreement and loyalty but of course, Mark, we have to respect him and what it is. I can’t say much anymore. The lawyers will tell you more on what’s in store and what the contract is all about,” said Aldeguer. /