Magsayo’s troubles with Shota
Mark Magsayo ran into a bit of trouble over the weekend when he engaged Shota Hayashi (30-7, 18 KOS) in a war but still emerged victorious via unanimous decision. The Japanese pug was tougher than expected, but Magsayo dug down deep to pull off the convincing victory in front of fellow Boholanos.
THE GRIND. Japanese fighters are known to be tough and durable and Shota was no exception. He was hardly a defensive genius and so Magsayo found it easy to connect with his jabs and hooks. He also unloaded several uppercuts for good measure, but Shota took them well and responded in kind.
His right hand was his best weapon and more than a few found their mark on Mark which made the fight more compelling. If the Boholanos were expecting a one-sided beatdown they were going to be disappointed. Instead, what they got was an action-packed two-way fight that demonstrated the resiliency of both fighters. In the end, Magsayo’s hand was raised in victory and he raised his record to 18-0 with 13 stoppages. But boy, he had to grind this one out.
LESSON. In a way, this was the best thing to happen to someone like Magsayo. There is nothing more pressure-laden than performing in front of one’s hometown. Sure, the cheers and the support totally give you that extra boost, but the added load on your shoulders are the expectations of a sure victory. I did notice something with Mark that I hope his handlers can correct. Sometimes when he lands a solid punch or combo, he pauses as if to admire his work.
That’s very dangerous especially when you have a fighter in front of you who takes punches very well and in that fight, Shota was more than willing to issue Mark the delivery receipts for those punches landed.
A fighter that comes to mind with this careless tendency was Fernando Vargas. The “Ferocious One” was a young punching phenom who became a world champion in only his 15th pro fight.
He defeated world champions like Winky Wright and Ike Quartey before suffering his first loss when he was stopped by Felix Trinidad in the 12th round. Turns out that Vargas had a glass jaw, and that bad habit of waiting around to admire your work was extremely dangerous especially when you are up against the A-list fighters.
COTTO. Remember Miguel Cotto? This future Hall of Famer will be fighting for the last time today against Sadam Ali (25-1, 14 Kos). Cotto (41-5, 33Kos) has said this will be his curtain call and hopes to come out victorious before he rides off into the sunset. At age 37, that’s the best decision to be made under the circumstances. But you never know with boxers.
I did notice something with Mark that I hope his handlers can correct. Sometimes when he lands a solid punch or combo, he pauses as if to admire his work.
He could be ready, but as what I’ve said, Mark would be better if we give him more time. But he can be ready, he’s ready. But he’ll be more devastatingif you give him more time to mature. MICHAEL ALDEGUER, on Mark Magsayo.