Magsayo to meet WBC head in Mexico
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 07 Feb 2022
Newly-crowned WBC featherweight champion Mark Magsayo is scheduled to meet WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman at the governing body’s head office in Mexico City on Feb. 8 and will be awarded the title belt specially made for him. The strap that Magsayo claimed when he dethroned Gary Russell in New Jersey over a week ago was on loan and will be returned in exchange for his personal hardware.
MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons said that No. 1 contender Rey Vargas of Mexico could be Magsayo’s first challenger in a mandatory defense. “We jumped in front of him to fight Russell,” said Gibbons. The WBC actually sanctioned a title eliminator between Magsayo and Julio Ceja last August with the winner to challenge Russell, leaving Vargas out of the picture. Now that Magsayo is on the throne, Vargas is pressing his case and Sulaiman may order an immediate mandatory defense against the top contender. Gibbons said Magsayo’s first defense will not be held before July.
If Vargas is named to be Magsayo’s first challenger, Gibbons said it may or may not be a tough grind. Vargas, 31, is a former WBC superbantamweight titlist and totes a record of 35-0, with 22 KOs. He relinquished his 122-pound belt to move up to the featherweight division and has fought only once in the 126-pound ranks, outpointing Leonardo Baez in a 10-rounder in Las Vegas last November. Vargas is 5-10 1/2 and has a 70 1/2 inch reach so he’s 2 1/2 inches taller and longer than Magsayo. Vargas resembles former WBC bantamweight and WBA superbantamweight ruler Raul (Jibaro) Perez, also a Mexican. The 5-10 Perez campaigned from 1984 to 2000 and finished with a 61-6 record, including 42 KOs. When Perez invaded the featherweight class, his power diminished and in 1995, was knocked out in one round by Filipino Luisito Espinosa. Magsayo, Espinosa, Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire, Jr. are the only Filipinos to reign as world featherweight champion.
Gibbons said it could be déjà vu of the Espinosa-Perez fight when Magsayo and Vargas clash. “I don’t think Vargas brings up the power at 126,” he said. “He’s a tall and long guy. Mark gets him on the beard. Vargas will fight a little but when Mark hits him on the chin, it could be goodnight Irene.” Gibbons said it’s still not sure when Magsayo and wife Frances will return home. Magsayo earlier said after his wife’s US visa is extended, they’ll come back for a visit.
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