DETHRONED Last PH boxing champ falls to Mexican foe

Rey Vargas dethroned Mark Magsayo and successfully claimed the World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight belt with a split decision victory yesterday at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Vargas towered over Magsayo and used solid and accurate jabs while maintaining his distance to eke out a 115-112, 113-114, 115-112 victory and become a two-division world boxing champion.

Despite being knocked down in the ninth round, Vargas, 31, did not waver and showed steely nerves and a gallant stand against the 27-yearold Magsayo.

The Mexican star remained unbeaten in 36 straight matches built on 22 knockouts and handed the Filipino's ĸrst loss of his career at 24-1 record with 16 KOs.

The Philippines is now left without a world boxing champion following Magsayo's loss. Nonito Donaire also lost his WBC bantamweight belt at the hands of Japanese superstar and uniĸed champion Naoya Inoue last June.

"It was a great ĸght," said Vargas. "I have no words to describe what happened. I'm so proud. It's my second title. It's going back with me to Mexico."

Before moving up to the featherweight division, Vargas, Magsayo's mandatory challenger, dominated the super bantamweight class and made ĸve title defenses for his WBC title since winning the vacant spot against Gavin McDonnell last February 2017.

Vargas is most likely set for a uniĸcation title bout against World Boxing Association featherweight titlist Leo Santa Cruz, another Mexican who was on Magsayo's radar the previous months.

The ĸrst few rounds saw a nipand-tuck affair as the two featherweight stars simply brawled it out on the Ĺoor but it all boiled down to the latter half where Magsayo slowly showed glimpse of a comeback attempt.

Vargas may have fallen on his knees in the ninth round -- suffering only the fourth knockdown of his career -- after catching a quick straight right from Magsayo with less than 45 seconds to go but admitted that the blow "wasn't that effective but it counts."

"He got me there. He got me with that one," recalled the much taller Vargas, who stands at 5-foot-10. "I had been in control the whole ĸght but in the ninth when he got me, I lost a little control."

Magsayo desperately closed in on Vargas and unloaded a couple of power punches in the next rounds but Vargas also showed sharp reflexes and wisely countered with quick jabs.

Momentum sided with the Tagbilaran, Bohol native boxer and connected another hefty right hand but the Mexican pugilist kept enough distance to fend off the close-range combat.

Vargas, however, came alive in the eleventh frame and landed a clean left hook but Magsayo was unfazed and leveled his boxing with a couple of hooks.

Magsayo badly needed a knockout but his left hook midway through the ĸnal round but that only counted as his most signiĸcant punch as time expired with Vargas still keeping distance.

As for the former champion, Magsayo vowed to return soon and climb his way back to the top of the featherweight division.

"He's (Vargas) the man of today. That's all," said Magsayo. "I'll come back stronger. I did my best. [I need a] little rest and I'll train to fight again. I'll correct my mistakes in the next ĸght."

Philippine Football Federation general secretary Edwin Gastanes yesterday thanked the Philippine Sports Commission for allowing the PFF to stage the Group A matches of the Filipinas in the 12th Asean Football Federation Women’s Championship at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium

“On behalf of PFF president Mariano Araneta Jr., the PFF would like to express our gratitude to PSC executive director and officer-incharge Atty. Guillermo Iroy for allowing the use of the Rizal Memorial Stadium as a main venue of the AFF Women’s Championship,” Gastanes said.

“Thanks to the collaboration and cooperation of the PSC, we are now able to bring the games of the Filipinas closer to their hometown fans, inspiring them to do better with each performance inside this heritage-rich football arena,” the PFF general secretary noted.

“We hope that our local fans will continue to Ĺock to the Rizal Memorial Stadium in droves and cheer for the Filipinas, hopefully, all the way to the championship match while achieving another milestone for themselves and the country,” he exhorted.

Before the AFF Women’s Championship, the last time the historic venue was used for the sport was the 2019 30th Southeast Asian Games football men’s and women’s football tournaments.

Dwight Ramos has been ruled out of the FIBA Asia Cup 2022, a huge blow to Gilas Pilipinas which is still reeling from a series of misfortunes due to injuries.

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas announced the setback on Sunday, July 10.

Ramos, who was one of the core players of the national team, was reportedly suffering from medial tibial stress syndrome or shin splints.

According to the SBP statement, the 6-foot-4 forward has been dealing with pain in his leg for the past week but it has become too much for Ramos to overcome and could not join the practice anymore.

Rhenz Abando is expected to take Ramos’ spot in the roster after being initially placed as a reserve.

“Gilas Pilipinas Men will now attempt to replace Ramos from the lineup with Rhenz Abando. This will be brought up during the technical meeting before the start of the tournament by Gilas team manager Butch Antonio,” the statement added.

Without Ramos, eyes will be on his fellow B.League imports Ray Parks Jr. and Thirdy Ravena to pick up the slack.