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Philippines, 01 Oct 2023 |
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The Heartbreaker, Magnifico Ready to Rumble! By Carlos Costa PhilBoxing.com Sat, 04 Mar 2023  Hard-hitting former world champions Brandon “The Heartbreaker” Figueroa and former ALA star Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo stepped on the scale for their vacant WBC interim featherweight title, both warriors successfully making weight. The war will unfold Saturday night (Sunday morning here in Asia), at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California. It's promoted by Premier Boxing Champions live on SHOWTIME and ESPN, and who will emerge victorious? 
The slightly taller Figueroa looked 100% comfortable at the 126-pound featherweight, easily checking-in in at 125¾ lbs. But the Boholano came-in at 126¾, just a little bit over the division's limit. Per CSAC rules, Magsayo was given two hours to come back on the scale at or below the featherweight limit, and he did it! Naked and smiling (a black TGB Clothing covering him), Magsayo successfully made weight! 125¾ pounds, Good job! 
Thanks to that, Figueroa, 26, and Magsayo, 27, will fight in the main event of a "Showtime Championship Tripeheader," with the vacant WBC interim featherweight belt on the line, the winner challenging champion Rey Vargas for the WBC Regular Featherweight Strap. Excellent! Magsayo (24-1, 16 KO's), the popular Visayas boy, lost the WBC featherweight world title in his last fight to Rey Vargas. Vargas defeated Magsayo via split decision. It was a very close 12-rounder war last July at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The WBC sanctioned Figueroa vs Magsayo as an interim championship bout because Mexican Rey Vargas (30-1, 22 KO's), who holds the WBC featherweight title fought O'Shaquie Foster (20-2, 11 KOs) for the WBC Super Featherweight World Title last February 11 at the Alamodome, losing by points. Figueroa (23-1-1, 18 KO's), of Weslaco, Texas, became the WBC #1 contender in the 126-pound division by defeating Carlos Castro (27-2, 12 KOs) of Phoenix in 6 rounds in the Vargas-Magsayo show. Now that Rey Vargas has lost his fight for the WBC 130-pound crown, he is expected to return to the featherweight division to defend his WBC belt against the winner of Figueroa-Magsayo. Yes, Rey Vargas will most likely defend against the winner of the Figueroa vs Magsayo next, and who will the winner be? Most betting sites and bookies put Figueroa as a 3-1 favorite to beat Magsayo. Not all betting houses. But most of them. Does that mean something to you? Is that margin in favor of the Heartbreaker probably because the Mexican-American might be more known in the USA than the former ALA fighter born in Tagbilaran? Well, It doesn't matter, what happens on fight night is what matters! And then, will Figueroa really brilliantly outbox, shock and defeat Magasayo, taking the W? Will that happen? Or will it be the sensational fighter from Bohol the one to command actions, dictating the pace, ravaging Figueroa with power, confusing him with skills, stopping the Mexican-American "Heartbreaker"??? Lets find out, May the Best Man Win! Awesome Photos by Esther Lin. The author, veteran boxing reporter Carlos Costa, can be reached at carlos@philboxing.com. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.  |
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