STAKES are high for both Mark Magsayo and Jason Pagara in their upcoming fights in the undercard of what could be Cebu?s biggest boxing event to date.
Magsayo and Pagara must put on impressive performances and prove they are worthy of carrying the flag on the international stage.
?I will do my best to show my best so that I?ll be able to fight world caliber fighters,? Magsayo said in yesterday?s press launch of ?The Time Has Come ? Donaire vs. Bedak? at the Marriott Hotel.
Magsayo (13-0, 10 KOs) guns for yet another belt, the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) International featherweight title, against former world title challenger Chris Avalos (26-4, 19 Kos) in one of the main featured fights in a blockbuster boxing show co-promoted by Top Rank and ALA Promotions on April 23 at the Cebu City Sports Center.
?I?m ready. After my fight I only had a week?s rest and then returned to training. I have studied his style and I believe I can beat him. My mindset right now is to go up in the ring and beat him,? said Magsayo.
ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer feels that this is a huge step up in competition for Magsayo, and although it is a huge risk, it has to be done.
?This is the biggest decision we?ve made. Avalos is very experienced. We hope this is the right decision. The only way to prove if he?s the real deal is if he beats Avalos. We want to know if Mark has it. We want to bring him to the US to fight in July and in September. He needs to win. His last fight wasn?t as impressive, hopefully this fight defines him,? he said.
Despite coming off a long lay-off, Pagara (37-2, 23 KOs) is confident that ring rust will be in an issue in his 10-round fight against Mexican veteran Miguel Zamudio (35-8-1, 21 KOs).
?I have never stopped training and my conditioning,? said Pagara, whose last fight was back in October in the Carson, California.
Pagara is the No. 1 rated fighter in the WBO light welterweight division, in which Terrence Crawford is the current champion.
?He?s No. 1 (WBO) right now. We want to see what he wants. If he does well (against Zamudio) then he?ll be fighting on July in San Francisco and on September in at the StubHub Center. Jason is at a very formidable division. We?ll see where he?s at right now, and hopefully trains and gets exposure in the US,? said Aldeguer.
The main event features Nonito Donaire Jr. (36-3, 23 KOs) defending his World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight strap against former Olympian Zsolt Bedak (25-1, 8 KOs).
Unbeaten Aussie prospect Paul Fleming (21-0, 4 KOs) faces Mexican Miguel Angel Gonzalez (22-7-1, 12 KOs) in the main supporting bout.
Also slated in the stack fight card are up-and-comer Jeo Santisima and former world title challenger Rocky Fuentes.
The 19-year-old Santisima (9-2, 8 KOs) takes on heavy-handed Thai Tabthong Tor Buamas (14-3, 12 KOs), while Fuentes (36-8-2, 21 KOs) squares off with fellow Cebuano Romnick Magos (12-5, 7 KOs) in a couple of eight-rounders.
Also in the undercard, 18-year-old Virgel Vitor (6-1, 3 KOs) faces off with Paulo Pereno (3-8-1, 3 KOs), Junriel Jimenez (4-0, 1 KO) slugs it out with fellow unbeaten prospect Marlou Sandoval (8-0-2, 3 KOs) and Lorenz Ladrada makes his pro debut against Renjie Sabanal (1-3-1).
