Magsayo Telling the Truth or Delusional? Hoping for Lebron's Lakers Grand Return
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 06 Mar 2023
For one who saw the replay of the fight via YouTube, I found it hard to believe Mark Magsayo's claims that the ring officials, specifically the referee, did him in and that he actually won over American Brandon Figueroa in their recent bout for the WBC featherweight interim title held in Ontario, California.
Save for the first two to three rounds where Magsayo was not only competitive but connected impressively on the constantly pressing Figueroa, one would be hard put to name other rounds which Mark probably got the nod from the judges.
In fact, Mark was so winded in the last three rounds, the so called championship rounds, that he virtually had no steady legs to prop him up and it was only a tribute to his sturdiness that he managed to finish the bout on his feet.
It is already an old sickening refrain that once again a Filipino fighter with scheduled title bout encountered problem during the pre-fight official weigh in as Magsayo came in almost a pound over the regulation 126 lbs weight limit in his first attempt. The taller Figueroa on the other hand easily made the weight. Given two hours to make the required weight, Mark met the weight limit in his second try. What he went through to cut the excess weight was not mentioned but it could have contributed to Mark's sputtering finish.
Coupled with the point deductions docked on him twice by the referee for constant holding, the scorecards of the three judges giving Figueroa an average of nine points margin is not just justified but nearer to the truth of what went down.
What Figueroa would do against Magsayo was no secret. He himself said that as he had done in his previous fights, he would attack Magsayo with voluminous punching in the bid to break him down. Therefore, it was up to Magsayo to neutralise Figueroa given that style that negated Brandon's supposed height and reach advantages.
To Magsayo's credit, he did well in the first few rounds but he failed to sustain that in the succeeding rounds as the combined effects of Figueroa's constant pressure and battering as well as Mark's faltering stamina exacted their toll.
Curiously, Magsayo and Figueroa shared a common foe in Julio Ceja who forced Figueroa to a split draw in 2019 but was knocked out by Magsayo in 2021. It was these results that prompted some observers to predict that Magsayo had a shot of beating Figueroa.
However, after the fight, Magsayo said that it may be his last fight as a featherweight as he is contemplating a move to the junior lightweight or super featherweights.
Meanwhile, Lebron James multitude of fans are fervently hoping for James and his team, the Los Angeles Lakers' grand return to the NBA post season following the Lakers third straight meeting victory over the Golden State Warriors, 115-109 earlier today.
Incidentally Lebron failed to suit up for that game but it did not matter as seven foot plus center Anthony Davis once again exposed the Warriors weakness at the slot against a dominant, high scoring big man.
Davis scored 39 points and pulled down 8 boards as he outplayed Warriors big men Kevon Looney and Jonathan Kuminga. He was supported by Jeron Vanderbilt who scored 10 points and grabbed 13 rebounds; Dennis Schroeder 10 points, Troy Brown 14 points and 8 rebounds, Austin Reeves 19 points and Malik Beastly 12 points.
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 27 and 22 points respectively. Draymond Green was the Golden State highest rebounded with just 8.
The victory put the Lakers in the 11th place in the West, just half a game behind the faltering Pelicans. If the Lakers overtake the Pelicans for the 10th place, they will have the chance for the play-offs for the 8th position which will have the powerhouse Denver Nuggets led by reigning MVP Nikolas Jokic as first round opponents.
Photo: Mark Magsayo drops to the canvas caused by his unsteady legs as he runs out of gas in the later rounds in his fight against Brandon Figueroa in Ontario, California on Saturday, Mar. 4, 2023. Photo by Esther Lin/Showtime.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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