On Saturday night, WBC featherweight champion Mark Magsayo will look to prove that his title is no fluke when he fights Rey Vargas. The action takes place from the Alamodome in San Antonio (9 p.m. ET, Showtime).
Magsayo (24-0, 16 KO) won his title in January with a majority decision over Gary Russell Jr. Russell entered the fight saying he had a right shoulder injury. This was very clear during the fight as Russell was mainly fighting with one hand. Still, the fight was close throughout as Magsayo repeatedly moved to Russell’s left, allowing Russell to use the one hand he really had available as a weapon throughout.
In the end, Magsayo was able to do enough to overcome the decision, remain undefeated and end Russell’s nearly seven-year title reign, a reign that was extended by Russell defending his title just six times during that span.
“This is very special to me. I watched Manny Pacquiao fight Marco Antonio Barrera in San Antonio at the Alamodome and that was the day I decided to start working out in the gym. I’m so grateful to have this fight – which is a dream come true – to happen here in San Antonio,” Magsayo said at the latest press conference.
“This is a very important fight for me. I already beat Russell, but I just want to keep proving myself. We’ll both go in there very confident and that will make it a great fight.”
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Vargas (35-0, 22 KOs) is a former WBC super bantamweight champion after winning the title against Gavin McDonnell in February 2017. He would successfully defend the belt five times before a two-year hiatus due to various issues with his promotional team and a broken leg.
Last November, Vargas returned to action by making his featherweight debut and taking a dominant decision over Leonardo Baez. He was then listed as a mandatory challenger to Magsayo.
“If you want to trade shots, I’m more than happy to do it. I see it as a compliment that he’s added a lot of people to his team. He takes me seriously, but I think that’s an advantage for me because I feel like he’s worried,” Vargas said.
“We certainly have great coaches in every corner. Freddie is a great trainer and I’ve had the pleasure of sharing the ring against him before. In the end it will just be me and Mark in the ring. We’re ready to put on a show.”
The undercard features the return of former super bantamweight champion Brandon Figueroa as he takes on Carlos Castro. Figueroa, 25, has not fought since losing a majority decision to Stephen Fulton in November to unify the WBC and WBO titles. It was the first loss of his burgeoning career. He gets a tough test for Castro, who also came off the first loss of his career when he lost a split decision to Luis Neri in February.
“My last loss taught me a lot and I’m coming back with everything I’ve got. I had an excellent training camp and I’m so excited to come back and prove, just like I did at 122 pounds, that I belong in this division and that I’m among the best,” Figueroa said. “I’ve learned to be a little more patient than my last fight. I learned that I have to use my height and technical skills to my advantage.”
Magsayo vs Vargas card, odds
Odds via Caesars Sportsbook
Rey Vargas -125
Mark Magsayo (c) +105
WBC featherweight title
Brandon Figueroa -700
Carlos Castro +500
Super cock
Frank Martin -1200
Jackson Marinez +750
A cure
Forecast
Magsayo is not a difficult fighter to understand. He comes forward and tries to get inside to fight. He has solid power, as demonstrated when he brutally knocked out Julio Ceja to set up his title shot, but getting in range to land consistently will be a problem against a powerful fighter like Vargas. The Mexican is the better fighter on a technical level and his ability to use his range while picking apart many worthy opponents is impressive.
The fight odds are much closer than you’d expect given the style matchup and some of the issues Magsayo has had in his career, including his title win over the one-armed Russell. This looks like a fight where Vargas can dictate the scope and pace and work his way to a decision win and a second weight title. Pick: Ray Vargas via UD
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