Columns · PhilBoxing.com

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Marcial displays heart to stop Hart

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Mon, 11 Apr 2022

If there was ever a doubt on Eumir Marcial’s toughness, nobody can now deny his heart. At the Virgins Hotel in Las Vegas yesterday morning (Manila time), the Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist roared back …

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Eumir battles 6-2 foe

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Sun, 10 Apr 2022

Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Eumir Marcial takes on a long-armed opponent who’s six inches taller in his second pro bout at the Virgin Hotels, Las Vegas, this morning (Manila time) but it’s not as if…

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Forgotten world champ

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Wed, 06 Apr 2022

Rene Cuarto. There are four reigning Filipino world boxing champions----WBC featherweight king Mark Magsayo, WBC bantamweight ruler Nonito Donaire, Jr., WBO bantamweight titlist JohnRiel Casimero and …

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Donaire recalls Pacman sparring

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Sat, 02 Apr 2022

WBC bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire, Jr. will never forget his moments with Sen. Manny Pacquiao in Los Angeles in 2001 before the ring legend defeated Lehlo Ledwaba to wrest the IBF superbantamwe…

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Behind every successful man

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Fri, 01 Apr 2022

Mark Magsayo (R) with wife Frances (L). March 31 marked the end of the National Women’s Month Celebration this year and we toast this Philippine Commission on Women initiative by paying tribute to the…

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Inoue next for Donaire

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Sun, 13 Mar 2022

WBC bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire, Jr. is primed to face super WBA/IBF titlist Naoya Inoue in a much-awaited rematch in May or June in Japan but until COVID restrictions are lifted, date and ve…

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Rigo applauds Astrolabio

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Wed, 02 Mar 2022

Astrolabio (R) drops Rigondeaux in Dubai. Former two-division world champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux conceded defeat to heavy underdog Vincent Astrolabio whom the Cuban…

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Ancajas to move up to bantam?

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Tue, 01 Mar 2022

Former IBF superflyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas may have outgrown the 115-pound division and will likely move up to the 118-pound bantamweight class for his next fight but the decision is still up i…

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Ancajas not himself in losing title

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Mon, 28 Feb 2022

IBF superflyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas’ six-year reign came to an abrupt end in his 10th defense as he fought without his usual artillery in losing to unbeaten Argentine challenger Fernando Martin…

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Ancajas in must-win fight

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Sun, 27 Feb 2022

IBF superflyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas realizes his unbeaten Argentine challenger Fernando (El Pumita) Martinez is no pushover but he’ll do what it takes to retain the title in his 10th defense at…

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Astrolabio to bulldoze Rigo

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Sun, 20 Feb 2022

General Santos City’s Vincent Astrolabio won’t risk leaving the outcome of his fight against Guillermo Rigondeaux up to the judges and is determined to knock out the Cuban two-time Olympic gold medali…

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Magsayo calls out Santa Cruz

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Mon, 14 Feb 2022

WBC featherweight champion Mark Magsayo called out super WBA titlist Leo Santa Cruz the other day to face off in a unification showdown but said he’ll fulfill an obligation for a mandatory defense bef…

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How sincere is the WBA?

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Fri, 11 Feb 2022

WBA president Gilberto Mendoza. It took over two years before the WBA responded to GAB chairman Baham Mitra’s call for a dialogue to thresh out problematic matters involving Filipino boxers. Mitra iss…

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No more trilogy

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Wed, 09 Feb 2022

Last Sunday, IBF minimumweight champion Rene Mark Cuarto retained his title via a technical majority decision in the seventh round over Pedro Taduran, the man he dethroned, in Digos, Davao del Sur wit…

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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 be…

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Mitra dismayed by WBA

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Mon, 07 Feb 2022

GAB chairman Abraham Mitra. GAB chairman Baham Mitra is lacing up the gloves to face the WBA in behalf of prejudiced Filipino fighters and he’s hoping to arrange a dialogue before his term ends with t…

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Averting a hijack

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Thu, 27 Jan 2022

Mark Magsayo admitted that at the end of his WBC featherweight title fight against defending champion Gary Russell, Jr. in Atlantic City last weekend, he was worried about the decision. But coach Fred…

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What’s next for Magsayo?

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Wed, 26 Jan 2022

Now that the WBC featherweight title belt is safely around his waist, Mark Magsayo isn’t in a hurry to make his first defense or try to unify the championship for another strap. Magnifico is enjoying …

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Magsayo’s secret sparmates

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Tue, 25 Jan 2022

L-R: Jerwin Ancajas, Sean Gibbons and Mark Magsayo. It’s usual practice to reveal who a fighter’s sparmates are in preparing for a big bout when asked by media. But in Mark Magsayo’s case, it was hush…

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Dream comes true for Magsayo

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Mon, 24 Jan 2022

Magsayo kisses the WBC belt he wrested from Russell. It’s what he’d dreamed of since turning pro in 2013 and now, Mark Magsayo is the new WBC featherweight champion. He scored a majority 12-round deci…