IT is now a given, almost, that Mark Magsayo is fast gaining attention as a huge potential for world boxing greatness. If you have started seeing snatches of stardom from the Bohol-born kid under Cebu?s ALA Stable of Tony and Michael Aldeguer, you?ve got good eyesight. His recent demolition in six rounds of world title contender Chris ?The Hitman? Avalos from California is screaming proof to this.
But a word of caution: The summit isn?t near for Magsayo. It?s quite a bit far yet. He?s not even halfway to the top. As always, the road to glory isn?t roses-strewn but is obstacle-laden.
Didn?t Magsayo, appearing invincible in the first two rounds, suffer a knockdown?the first one in his career? That means he is human in spite of his unblemished record of 14-0, with 11 knockouts.
That knockdown was scary, to say the least.
You get tripped marching on, chasing your dreams, I will say that immediately raises questions on your vulnerability.
So, is Magsayo still that?a project, a diamond in the rough so-called?
Absolutely, I must say yes.
Before he faced Avalos (26-4-0, 19 knockouts), Magsayo had been repeatedly warned he was to fight one of the best knockout artists in the world.
Still, right from the starting gates, Magsayo charged like a thoroughbred, swinging in wild abandon. And, in the second round, his famous raging-bull stance nearly paid off when he staggered Avalos at least twice. The almost defenseless Avalos was saved by the bell.
But in the third, Avalos floored Magsayo. That?s when Magsayo?s ability to survive a terrible storm came to the fore. He passed it with flying colors?a true mark of a world champ in the making. Thus, recovering beautifully, Magsayo went on to complete his unfinished business?stopping Avalos in the sixth.
Without a doubt, Magsayo is living up to his moniker as ?Magnifico.? If he would proceed to win a world crown, who knows he could yet be another Gennady Golovkin, the world middleweight champ from Kazakhstan who had just upped his record to 35-0, with 32 knockouts.
In stopping the undefeated Dominic Wade (18-1) last weekend, Golovkin kept his titles in the 160-lb limit for the 16th straight time while scoring his 22nd successive stoppage.
Should Magsayo be our own Golovkin soon, I won?t be surprised.
