“This is my dream come true,” said newly crowned WBC featherweight champion Mark Magsayo. “Ever since I was a kid, this was my dream. I’m so proud that I’m a champion now. Thank you so much to the Filipino fans for the support.”
Magsayo (24-0, 16 KOs) ended the reign of boxing’s longest male world champion Gary Russell Jr. (31-2, 18 KOs), largely benefiting from an injury to Russell’s right shoulder that became discernable in round four. “I knew that he was hurt,” said Magsayo. “I hit him with a good shot. That’s why he got hurt. That was a big advantage for me. He was only using one hand. This was my opportunity to follow through. My coach was telling me to use good combinations and follow through. He said ‘this is your chance to become a champion,’ and now I am a champion.”
Magsayo left open the possibility of a rematch. “It’s up to my promotional team, but I’m willing to fight anybody. I’m the champion now!”
Ring legend Manny Pacquiao reached out to Magsayo on social media. “Congratulations, Mark Magsayo, on your first world championship! Thank you for bringing honor to our country by becoming the latest Filipino world boxing champion. Welcome to the club.”
Manny Paquiao P4P one of the best to ever lace them up! Congrats to the new champ Magsayo!!!
Russell is one delusional dude. He tries so hard to be suave and cool but that fakeness can only take you so far. Glad to see the humble deserving fighter get the nod. I had it 8 rounds to 4 and that’s actually being generous. If he’s had 2 hands Magsayo still beats him.
Too young too strong just glad the judges didn’t get to screw him they had it closer than it should have been.
Totally disagree on that. Russell was still outboxing him with one hand. Magsayo was good in the first few rounds, after that he lacked imagination. He’s lucky Russell had one hand.
At least you wont be scared to fight the other champions in the division. Well done.
For the life of me I’ll never be able to figure guys like Russell out? Natural boxing ability, athleticism and tremendous amateur pedigree and yet we never got to see what his full potential may have been! Just never looked like a guy who wanted this as badly as others! At least Andrade fights and is willing to fight anyone!!
Russell certainly did not help himself by lifting 125.5 pound Magsayo on his injured shoulder in the first round of the fight.
More like 145 pounds (post-weigh in)
Congratulations Pinoy!
Mark Magsayo average fighter nothing spectacular not even close to pacquioa!!
Agreed. Magsayo was good at countering in the first 4 rounds, he stepped down at the same time Russell lost his arm.
why wouldnt there be a rematch? all champions are suppose to be given a rematch WTF is this the latest trend now?
Rematches are fine, but this wasn’t exactly Fury/Wilder III. This fight was a snoozer, and most of that was due to Russell refusing to engage. I had it 119-109. I just can’t score rounds for guys who fight like Russell. To me, that’s anti-boxing. At some point, you need to show some kind of output.
Magsayo came to the US for the fight, and darn near got jobbed out of a win in a thoroughly one-sided fight. If I’m him, I only take the rematch on my homesoil or at least a third country where judges aren’t going to to be committing robbery.
Showtime is not investing in a fight with a thoroughly average and unestablished fighter in his 3rd world homeland. You guys act like Magsayo is now a shot caller. If they rematch, it’ll be here on the east coast probably. Magsayo’s reign will be limited and forgettable. Russell= tons of wasted potential.
wont be for long
Congratulations Mark Magsayo !!!
“I hit him with a good shot. That’s why he got hurt.” I think this guy speaks better English than he actually comprehends. Because he can’t really believe the words that came out of his mouth. Very similar to when Weidman basically said he trained to break Anderson Silva’s leg. Just delusional. Russell wins 9 times out of ten, the question is does this guy want a rematch with a healthy Gary Jr., or does he thank his lucky stars that he got away with one?
Skill level not champion level,loses in first defence.
Limited strong champion,loses first defence.