Filipino Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo tasted championship gold for the first time on Saturday night when he beat the long reigning WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr. by majority decision at the Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Magsayo, 26, had hall of fame trainer Freddie Roach in his corner and Russell Jr. hinted at an injury before heading into tonight’s fight and also was coming off a two-year layoff, but Roach told Magsayo not to take the American lightly and to focus and fight smart.
The fight was very competitive and fought with a strategic pace with both fighters trying to avoid getting hit with hard shots but trying to counter each other.
Russell hurt his right shoulder in the fight and later in the post fight interview he claimed he won the fight and was robbed.
Undefeated WBC lightweight champion took to Twitter to mock and make fun of Gary Russell Jr. after his loss and claimed he lost to a Bum in Mark Magsayo. The term “Bum” is one of the worst insults in boxing and it refers to a fighter with no skill or talent like they just picked him up off the street to fight.
The boxing world was split on the victory some suggested the fight was a Draw and others felt that Russell won the fight by two points and if he wasn’t injured he could have won it clearly.
Magsayo was congratulated by countryman and retired boxing champion Manny Pacquiao after the fight.
With Freddie Roach in his corner, Magsayo believes he can become undisputed champion at 126-pounds and even though he is willing to rematch Russell Jr. he would rather unify the titles first while Russell recovers from his shoulder injury.
