MARK Magsayo is set for a July 9 mandatory title defense of his WBC featherweight belt against fellow undefeated Rey Vargas of Mexico.
Mark Magsayo vs Rey Vargas
The Filipino champion will be leaving for Los Angeles on Wednesday to start training camp at the Wild Card gym under Freddie Roach.
He arrived in the country last March 3 for a three-week respite after staying for almost two years in the US where he resumed his career, which eventually gained its biggest break when he fought for the world championship for the first time against Gary Russell two months ago and won by majority decision.
Magsayo welcomed the challenge posed by Vargas, although MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons sees it as another "coming-out party" for the reigning champion.
“He worked too hard, too long to let someone like Rey Vargas spoil his party,” said Gibbons. “I see it going very well for Mark, I see it going very bad for Rey Vargas.”
Gibbons and Magsayo appeared in the virtual Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old Magsayo is unbeaten in 24 fights with 16 KOs, a record he’s eyeing to sustain against Vargas.
The Mexican (35-0, 22 KOs), a former WBC super-bantamweight champion, was originally set to face Russell, but suffered a broken leg and was unable to fight, giving Magsayo an opportunity to take his place and beat out the fighter many considered as the best in the featherweight division.
“Macha-challenge na naman ako. Exciting itong laban na ito, interesting fight kasi magaling, walang talo, undefeated siya, matangkad. Meron siyang bentahe na wala ako, pero may bentahe ako na wala siya. So maayos yan, magandang laban,” said Magsayo.
Before leaving the country, Magsayo (24-0, 16 KOs) paid a courtesy call to his main benefactor, boxing great and Senator Manny Pacquiao, and got more than just an audience with the retired eight-division world champion.
“Sinabi sa akin ni Senator na pag matangkad ang kalaban, head movement talaga and dapat maganda yung counter,” he recalled of his meeting with the legendary Filipino boxer last Sunday. “Tapos yung training ko raw, kailangan kong doblehin pa raw kasi ako na yung defending champion.
“At tsaka tiwala sa trainer, tiwala sa Panginoon, yun talaga ang sinabi niya sa akin.”