MAGSAYO BANNERS 'PINOY PRIDE 41' AGAINST NICARAGUA'S 'EL GENERAL' DIAZ
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 24 May 2017
CEBU CITY ? Rising Filipino featherweight Mark 'Magnifico' Magsayo will face Nicaragua's Daniel 'El General' Diaz as the stylish Boholano defends his WBO International featherweight title on the main event of the 41st edition of the highly successful 'Pinoy Pride' series to be held at the IEC Pavillon on July 8, this was learned during the press launching of the event Wednesday morning at the Radisson Blue Hotel here.
On the chief support bouts, knockout artist Jeo 'Santino' Santisima will trade leathers with undefeated Tanzanian Goodluck Mrena while comebacking 'Prince' Albert Pagara takes on Waldo Sabu (12-7-0, 2KOs) of Indonesia.
?I'm very excited to headline Pinoy Pride 41,? a clearly elated Magsayo who embarks on his first headliner, said. ?I am very thankful to my promoter and to the fans for supporting me. I'll promise a good performance,? Maysayo, who stopped his last opponent Issa Nampepeche of Tanzania in the first round, added.
Magsayo is undefeated with a record of 16 wins with 12 knockouts while Diaz has a 23-7-2 win-loss-draw record with 15 knockouts.
Magsayo's trainer Edmund Villamor however, cautioned that Maysayo should not take Diaz lightly.
?Diaz is taller [5'8 ?? to Magsayo's 5'6?], has a good jab and can box. He never forces himself and he is a former world title challenger,? Villamor said. ?He is not easy to defeat,? he added.
Diaz, 33, previously challenged Koki Kameda of Japan for Kameda's WBA world bantamweight crown but lost by technical decision when his corner threw in the towel in the 11th round. All of Diaz's seven losses were against world champions and highly ranked fighters.
The fight venue will be at the IEC Pavillion in Mabolo with a seating capacity of 8,000 to 10,000. ALA Promotions PR manager Chelna Locaylocay said they were very confident Magsayo can fill the venue.
?Based on our feedback, we're confident Mark can fill the arena,? Locaylocay said. ?Mark is very popular and a lot of people were asking when he's going to headline Pinoy Pride or when he's going to fight for a world championship,? Locaylocay added.
Which brings us the question of why the now WBO No. 4 ranked Magsayo, who had previously fought with former two-time world title challenger Chris Avalos, has yet to face another top 10 fighter since.
?Mark is still 21. He is still very young and developing. His turn to fight for a world title will eventually happen,? Locaylocay said.
Maysayo however, the warrior that he is, said that if he fights WBO featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez in his next fight, ?I would be very happy. But it's up to my promoter.?
Mark 'Magnifico' Magsayo (C), Jeo 'Santino' Santisima (R) and 'Prince' Albert Pagara (L) posed during the launching of 'Pinoy Pride 41' held at the Raddison Blue Hotel in Cebu City Wednesday morning. Photo by Levi Deresas.
Meanwhile Santisima, 20, who has a record of 13 wins with 11 knockouts and two losses, another young prospect built up by ALA Promotions, will be tested by undefeated Tanzanian Goodluck Mrema who has a record of 15 wins with 7 knockouts.
Short of words but not of fists, Santisima promised, ?I will give a good fight on July 8.?
After his disastrous 8th round knockout at hands of Cesar Juarez of Mexico in July last year where he absorbed his first career defeat, Albert Pagara said, ?I'm recovering,? and comforted himself that his stablemate Milan Melindo, who also experienced his share of ups and downs through the years, has finally become a world champion.
?I think if you keep on working hard, you will eventually get there. And that's what I'm doing. Losses will come. Even Manny Pacquiao lost so I'll just keep on working hard,? Pagara said who will face Indonesian Waldo Sabu (12-7-0, 2KOs) in a 10-round scheduled featherweight contest who added that his fight with the Indonesian is an 'activity fight'.
?I'm going back to super bantamweight and if there's a chance that I will fight Cesar Juarez again, I will do it,? Pagara said.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
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