By Ryan Burton
Former WBO 122 pound champion Jessie Magdaleno (25-1) has been out of the ring since his stoppage loss to Isaac Dogboe in April. The fight had multiple knockdowns and is in the running for 2018 Fight of the Year. Magdaleno floored Dogboe in the first round but the Ghanan fought back and dropped Magdaleno in the fifth round and two more times in the eleventh to prompt the referee to waive the fight off.
The Las Vegas native was scheduled to return to the ring in September but pulled out a few weeks prior to the fight. Magdaleno said that he will now be back in early 2019.
"The plan is to be back in February. The opponent isn't set yet but that is when I plan on getting back in the ring. I can't wait," Magdaleno told BoxingScene.com.
Magdaleno captured his world title in 2016 when he outpointed former multi-division and current bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire. He admitted that even back then it was difficult to suck down to the super bantamweight weight limit and plans on being more explosive without having to drop the additional four pounds.
"It was just time. Everybody knew it was just time to move up in weight and I think I should have been up in weight two years ago but whatever happened. I got the title at '22 and fought there a couple more times and now it is time to go to '26 and be king there," Magdaleno explained.
As for avenging his only professional loss, Magdaleno said that he would love to face Dogboe again but this time in the featherweight division.
"I would love to see him again. It was a great fight between me and him, two young warriors going at it and I would love to fight him again. I know the fans enjoyed it," said Magdaleno.
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