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    Mark Magsayo is new WBC world featherweight champion

    Mark Magsayo is new WBC world featherweight champion
    Jan 23, 2022
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    Mark Magsayo improves to 24-0.
    PHOTO: Premier Boxing

    FINALLY, Mark Magsayo is a world champion.

    The Filipino survived a valiant warrior in Gary Russell Jr. to dethrone the champion and claim the WBC featherweight crown on Saturday in Atlantic City, New Jersey (Sunday Manila time).

    Magsayo won by majority decision against the 33-year-old American, who fought with an injured shoulder for majority of the 12-round bout.

    Scores were 115-113, 115-113, and 114-114.

    "This is my dream. My dream finally came true," said an ecstatic Magsayo moments after the victory at the Borgata Hotel Casino. "This is my dream since I was a kid."

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    Mark Magsayo is the latest Filipino world boxing champion.

    Magsayo (24-0, 16 KOs) became the first Filipino to win the featherweight title since two-time world champion Luisito Espinosa in 1995, although the legendary Manny Pacquiao once held the Ring featherweight crown when he scored an 11th round stoppage of Marco Antonio Barrera at the Alamodome in San Antonio in 2003.

    The win by Magsayo ended Russell's six-year's reign as champion, currently the longest in boxing prior to the fight.

    Before the title shot, Magsayo is fresh from a remarkable 10th round stoppage of Mexican Julio Ceja that earned him a mandatory fight to face Russell.

    Russell, a southpaw, appeared to have hurt his right shoulder in the fourth round and basically, fought with just one hand onwards.

    Aware of the American’s injury, Magsayo further pressed the action.

    “That was a bit of an advantage to me because he’s using only one hand,” said the native of Tagbilaran, Bohol.

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    “Coach Freddie (Roach) and coach Marvin (Somodio) said to me to just throw good combinations and follow through.”

    Magsayo did take advantage as he landed 41 percent of his power shots (140 of 340) to Russell’s 22 percent (58 of 259) in the official CompuBox stats.

    Russell though connected more on his jabs at 17 percent (11 of 64) to just 5 percent of Magsayo (10 of 203), but didn’t throw any starting the six rounds that could have helped reversed the outcome of the fight in his favor.

    The American suffered the second loss of his career (31-2, 18 KOs) and fought for just the first time in almost two years.

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    Mark Magsayo improves to 24-0.
    PHOTO: Premier Boxing
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