UNDEFEATED and potential world champion Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo is raring to fight world champions in the featherweight or 126-lb division such as Leo Santa Cruz, Gary Russell Jr. and Josh Warrington once worldwide quarantines allow boxing rings to signal matches again.
World Boxing Association champion Santa Cruz, having a 37-1-1 win-loss-draw record with 19 knockouts; World Boxing Council (WBC) champion Russell, having a 31-1 record with 18 knockouts); and International Boxing Federation titleholder Warrington, having a 30-0 record with seven knockouts are the reigning world featherweight champions.
“I have been waiting for a world title fight for a very long time. It’s good to fight anyone like Santa Cruz, Gary Russell and Warrington,” Magsayo told The Manila Times in a phone interview on Sunday.
Having a 20-0 record with 14 knockouts, the featherweight fighter said his other dream fight is against former World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight champion Oscar Valdez, but unfortunately for Magsayo, the latter moved up to the super featherweight class last year.
After the deal with Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao’s MP Productions was inked last March 11, the 24-year-old current WBC Asia (Asia Boxing Council) champion had been training on his own while under lockdown in Pasig City.
“I can’t go outside. I’m just training on my own everyday. I’m doing shadow boxing, skipping rope, push-ups, sit-ups [and] ladder [drills],” said Magsayo.
The pride of Tacloban City hoped that his much-awaited world title bout would soon come to blows if the coronavirus is knocked down before the bell rings on the eve of 2021.
“I was guaranteed to fight in a world title bout by MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons, possibly this year after the pandemic,” added Magsayo wishfully, explaining that he strengthens his mind by thinking positively.
“I know this pandemic will soon be over. That’s what I always think. I’m always focused. After this, I know that I will have a fight,” he affirmed.
After being sidelined for almost a year in 2018, Magsayo maintained his edge and remained fit due his continuous training for four months in Malaysia and another four months in Las Vegas. In his ring return, he shook off the rust by winning two fights with iron fists.
In April 12, 2019, he slammed Indonesian Erick Deztroyer to the floor in a featherweight nontitle bout. In his hometown of Bohol last August 31, he hammered former WBO bantamweight champion Panya Uthok of Thailand via unanimous decision.
