All or nothing for Magsayo
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 21 Dec 2024
MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons knows it’s an all-or-nothing deal for WBC No. 2 superfeatherweight Mark Magsayo as he can’t afford to lose his next two fights in lining himself up for a title shot. Last Saturday, Magsayo decked Ecuador trialhorse Bryan Mercado twice in the first round and twice in the second before referee Gerard White stopped the scheduled sixer at Thunder Studios in Long Beach, California.
Gibbons plans another tune-up for Magsayo, possibly on the same card as the Eduardo (Rocky) Hernandez-Rene (El Bravo) Tellez Giron bout in Oaxaca, Mexico, on Feb. 28. If Magsayo and Hernandez win their next outings, they’ll be matched against each other in a title eliminator with the survivor to challenge the WBC 130-pound champion.
“Mark’s been in the gym for six months and I didn’t want him to go without a fight ‘til the end of the year,” said Gibbons, explaining why he set up the Mercado match. “He’s got to be focused on beating Hernandez and at this point of his career, it’s all or nothing. The dream is for Mark to become a two-time WBC champion.”
Magsayo, who once wore the WBC featherweight crown, is itching to return to the throne, this time in a higher weight class. “Every single day, it’s all what Mark does is box, box, box 24.7 with coach Marvin (Somodio) and him putting in the time,” said Gibbons. “Even though Mercado wasn’t much of a fight, it definitely put Mark through the motions of making the weight, getting the body ready and now he can take a couple of weeks off for the holidays then get right back at it because he’s gonna be fighting for the world title.”
Magsayo said he took the opportunity to experiment a new point of attack against Mercado. “Masaya ako kasi nabigyan ng opportunity ni Sir Sean pagbutihin ko pa sa sunod na fight na mas malaki,” he said. “Masaya din si coach Marvin kasi na-execute ko ang gameplan at ang prinaktis namin. Gusto ko ma-try ang body shot.” It was Magsayo’s left hook to Mercado’s rib cage that produced four knockdowns.
Hernandez, 27, packs a 36-2 record, with 32 KOs. In October last year, the Mexican battled O’Shaquie Foster for the WBC superfeatherweight belt in Cancun and led on two of the three judges’ scorecards when he was dropped and stopped in the 12th round. Hernandez has since come back to win two in a row. Gibbons said if and when Magsayo turns back Hernandez sometime in May, he’ll be the mandatory challenger for Foster who still reigns as WBC strap-holder.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 20: MUHAMMAD ALI VS. JOE FRAZIER III ON OCTOBER 1, 1975 AT THE ARANETA COLISEUM
By Maloney L. Samaco, Thu, 16 Oct 2025Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimán: History of Boxing in Reynosa, Tamaulipas
By Mauricio Sulaimán, Thu, 16 Oct 2025YORK HALL PRESS CONFERENCE: EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID AS CONWAY AND LIDDARD GET SET FOR HUGE DOMESTIC CLASH
Wed, 15 Oct 2025Unbeaten Super Featherweight Contender Andres Cortes Set for Return on October 18 Against Derlyn Hernandez-Geraldo in Long Beach
Wed, 15 Oct 2025JOEL “LETHAL” LEWIS RETURNS NOV 28TH THUNDERDOME 52 – METRO CITY PERTH
Wed, 15 Oct 2025Shane Mosley Sr. Blasts Oscar De La Hoya of Blocking Son’s Title Shot, Calls for Trilogy Fight on Drew & Pris Uncensored podcast
Wed, 15 Oct 2025MASOUD vs McGRAIL HEADLINES BLOCKBUSTER MONTE-CARLO SHOWDOWN VI CARD ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6 – LIVE ON DAZN
Wed, 15 Oct 2025WFM Mendoza seizes lead in 2025 FIDE World Youth Chess Championship
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 15 Oct 2025YOENLI HERNANDEZ KNOCKS OUT RAMON DELACRUZ SENA IN FIRST ROUND OF MAIN EVENT OF FISTS OF FURY 8
Wed, 15 Oct 2025BEN WHITTAKER TITLE SHOT CONFIRMED WITH PRESS CONFERENCE THIS FRIDAY
Wed, 15 Oct 2025GOLDEN BOY ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP TO BOOST AMATEUR TALENT IN CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO
Wed, 15 Oct 2025SHANNON RYAN: I'M READY TO BRING 'KAOS' TO YORK HALL THIS WEEK
Wed, 15 Oct 2025Nikita Tszyu Health Update
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Wed, 15 Oct 2025THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 13 OCTOBER 2025: Ennis Wipes Out Lima; Vianello Defeats Barriere; Makhmudov Outpoits Allen
By Eric Armit, Tue, 14 Oct 2025Omar Juarez Set for Homecoming Clash Against Omar Rosario on October 18 i
Tue, 14 Oct 2025