MAGSAYO GOES AFTER RUSSELL JR.’S WORLD TITLE
MARK “MAGNIFICO” MAGSAYO brings an unbeaten record atop the ring as the pride of Tagbilaran City targets American Gary Russell Jr.’s World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight title on Sunday at the Borgata Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
With Senator Manny Pacquiao—who once held the world featherweight belt—already retired, Magsayo, 29, attempts to follow the world boxing icon’s footsteps in the 12-round fight promoted by Premier Boxing Champions.
“I’m the fighter who wants to beat him [Russell] more than anyone else,” Magsayo, unbeaten in 23 professional fights with 16 knockouts, told the fight’s final news conference on Friday in Atlantic City. “I’m here to give him his second loss on Saturday night.”
“He’s a good fighter and I’ve wanted to fight him for a long time,” said Magsayo, who is coming off a three-fight winning streak in the US. “Now, the opportunity is here and I can’t wait for the fight.”
Magsayo trained under Hall of Famer Freddie Roach and his assistant Marvin Somodio at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles. He will be facing a world champion who hasn’t fought in almost two years.
“I’m not expecting Russell to be rusty on fight night, but I can adjust,” Magsayo said. “I have speed just like Gary does. On Saturday, we’ll put our skills up against each other.”
Russell last fought on February 8, 2020, beating Tugstsogt Nyambayar of Mongolia via unanimous decision in Pennsylvania. He holds a 31-1 record with 18 knockouts.
But the American is confident he remains in world champion form.
“There are no concerns about ring rust. I’m always in the gym. I haven’t taken two months off from training since I was about four or five,” Russell said. “Boxing is not just what I do, it’s a lifestyle for me.”
“If I go out there and I destroy Mark on Saturday, then the big fights that I want, those fighters won’t be in a rush to face me, not that they are now anyway,” he said. “I’m always trying to give the same message when I enter the ring. I believe in intellect over athleticism, no matter the situation.”
MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons told Businessmirror that Magsayo is in harness for Russell despite the American winning all his fights in six years since losing to former World Boxing Organization champion Vasyl Lomachenko on June 21, 2014, in Carson City via majority decision.
Magsayo is coming off a split decision win over American Rigoberto Hermosillo in October 2020 in Los Angeles, beat another American Pablo Cruz in Connecticut in April 2021 via a third-round technical knockout and defeated Mexican Julio Ceja through brutal 10th round knockout in August in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao won crowns in eight divisions and snatched The Ring title from Mexican star Marco Antonio Barrera via an 11th-round technical knockout in November 2003.