ANOTHER Filipino warrior will be seeing action in the Manny Pacquiao-Mario Barrios fight card on July 19 as former world champion Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo battles Mexican Jorge Mata Cuellar at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The 10-round fight promoted by the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) will be for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) continental American super featherweight title.
After the announcement of Tokyo Olympics bronze winner Eumir Felix Marcial fighting American Alexis Gaytan as an eight-round non-title middleweight bout in the same fight card, Manny Pacquiao (MP) Promotions formally confirmed the inclusion of Magsayo in the boxing event.
“It’s a very great opportunity to fight for the second time as a part of undercard bouts of my childhood hero Manny Pacquiao, who is the main reason I started boxing,” Magsayo, 29, said after learning the development relayed by MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons.
“Like the first time I fought under his card when I was in featherweight class, this is also another stepping stone to my second division super featherweight world title bid,” Magsayo added. “I’m grateful for the opportunity from big brother Manny.”
The first time Magsayo fought as an undercard to Pacquiao was when he knocked out Mexican Julio Ceja in the tenth round on August 21, also in Las Vegas during Pacquiao’s last fight in the US against Cuban Yordenis Ugas.
After that, he got an opportunity for a world title that he won against Gary Russell Jr. for the WBC featherweight belt last January 22, 2022, in Atlantic City to become a world champion for the first time.
“I would like to thank Sir Manny Pacquiao, also Sean Gibbons, who takes care of my career and made me a world champion,” he said.
“WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, Sir Alan Haymon PBC, TGB Promotions Tom Brown and Louie Decubas of PBC.”
Magsayo is coming with a three-fight win streak, including his last against Ecuadorian Bryan Mercado, whom he knocked out in the second round in Long Beach, California, last December 14, thus improving his win-loss record to 27-2 with 18 knockouts.
“I am happy training alongside my idol, seeing him every day still inspires me the way it did when I was a kid. He spends time with us, his boxers, and teaches us. I am very excited to fight on July 19 and hope to see everyone in town for this thrilling Philippines vs. Mexico showdown.”
Cuellar, at 24, however, will be a threat to Magsayo’s bid. He has a 21-2-2 record with 13 knockouts.
“I want to thank Manny [Pacquiao] and Al Haymon for putting Mark on this historic night of boxing when Pacquiao attempts to become the oldest welterweight champion. A win over Jorge Mata, Mark will be next in line for a WBC world title shot,” Gibbons said.
Pacquiao, who will be fighting reigning WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios, said he is incredibly happy to help the likes of Magsayo and Marcial, former world champion Jerwin Ancajas, and other Filipino fighters achieve their dreams of becoming future world champions.
“Thrilled to be able to help my fellow Filipinos reach their world title dreams. I have no promotions or management like the MP Promotions when I started. So, I am incredibly happy to guide and help them in their pro boxing careers,” the 46-year-old Hall of Famer Pacquiao said.
Magsayo, Marcial, and Ancajas have run and trained alongside Pacquiao and his team at Griffith Park and the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, California for the past few weeks, finding inspiration and motivation in the experience.
