Mark Magsayo of the Philippines defends his WBC featherweight belt against Rey Vargas of Mexico at Alamodome, San Antonio on Saturday night. Luke G. Williams preview the authentic 50-50 clash of undefeated performers…
Mark Magsayo certainly cannot be accused of making an easy choice.
To become the WBC featherweight champion, the delightful Filipino had to fight his way past the longtime and superbly skilled belt holder. Gary Russell Jr in January and now – in his first green and gold strap defense – Magsayo (24-0, 16 KOs) faces Mexico’s highly accomplished and undefeated Rey Vargas in a title contest attractions at Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas this Saturday night.
Vargas, 31, is perhaps one of the most underrated boxers in the business world. Possessing a perfect 35-0 ledger (22 KOs), the Nacho Beristain-trained boxer dominated as the WBC super bantamweight champion from 2017-2020.
However, a subsequent fracture in his foot, followed by a match with Covid, has seen Vargas fight just once since 2019. That only match came after the incident. Canelo Alvarez vs Caleb Plant last November, when Vargas took an easy point win over unannounced Leonardo Baez. It is a contest that is decisive in what it teaches us about whether Vargas is the same boxer as he was a few years ago.
At the super-bantam, Vargas is adept at using his jab, and proves himself to be a skillful and technically skilled operator either forward or backward. Just over 5’10” tall and with a reach of 70″, it must also be said that he looks like the ideal specimen to fit the squarish and shorter Magsayo (Filipino is 5’6″ with a reach of 68″ ).
Although he’s been less active lately, Vargas is definitely talking about a good fight.
“I was well prepared for this fight.”
“I always want to improve and come into the ring as the best version of myself. The hard work is done, now I just focus on what will happen on the night of the fight. “
“My goal is to dominate this fight and bring the title back to Mexico. I fight for the Mexican people and my family, and I work hard every day to make them proud. I’m not too confident, but I know how hard I’ve worked and what my abilities are.”
“Magsayo will be strong with a lot of energy, but we will fight against that. That’s when we’ll tear him apart. Mexico vs Philippines is always a rivalry. It’s a guaranteed show, not to be missed. This war will not be an exception.”
For his part, Magsayo urged Vargas to stand up and fight, though he made it clear that he expected the Mexicans to win the retreat. “I am dealing with a boxer who often goes backwards,” said the 27-year-old. “He’s tall, so that was always his plan. I hope he doesn’t run too much in this fight. If I can go the right distance with him, I’ll get into the knockout.
“I was prepared for whatever he brought. I’ve had great collaborations with guys who are on the move, who go on foot and everything in between. It doesn’t matter how he fights, I’ll be ready for that. My footwork is definitely important in this fight.”
“Like the game against Gary Russell Jr., I will have to adjust. I didn’t expect him to mix it with me. “
The outcome of the match will most likely depend on whether Magsayo can close the gap and cut the circle enough to chop down Vargas. The Filipino is brimming with heart and spirit – as he showed in his passing Julio Ceja in a thrilling knockout, there were some powerful moves before Magsayo spectacularly knocked out the knockouts. tenth next. Magsayo also impressed against the technically excellent Russell Jr, though with the caveat that the latter was clearly inconvenienced by a shoulder injury and had to fight with one hand at times.
In the final analysis, this is a real 50-50 fight that can go both ways. In the past, Vargas has shown weaknesses, especially early in fights, having been knocked out in the second round of the competition against Franklin Manzanilla, Manuel Gonzalez Garcia and Silvester Lopez. This factor, combined with Vargas’ long absence from the ring and his lack of experience at 126lbs compared to Magsayo – who has proven his strength in the weight division – makes me slightly inclined towards the Philippines winning by knockout late, perhaps while tracking scorecards. However, a clear and comfortable win against Vargas on points would not surprise me either, given Mexico’s superior technique.
