Rey Vargas: record, next fight and profile →
Rey Vargas uses his length and output to take the WBC title from Mark Magsayo via twelve round split decision. Vargas held a 196-132 overall connect advantage. Vargas threw 236 more punches than Magsayo. In the end, Magsayo will wish he was more active in trying to retain his belt.
By Keith Idec - SAN ANTONIO – Five-and-half-months after he narrowly won the WBC featherweight title, Mark Magsayo lost his 126-pound championship in similar fashion Saturday night. Rey Vargas defeated Magsayo by split decision in their “Showtime Championship Boxing” main event at Alamodome. Judges Tim Cheatham (115-112) and David Sutherland (115-112) both scored their back-and-forth fight for Vargas, who lost 114-113 on the scorecard of judge Jesse Reyes.
Magsayo, Vargas Scorecard BoxingScene Live - Magsayo vs. Vargas will see WBC Featherweight World Champion Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo take on former world champion Rey Vargas in a battle of unbeatens that headlines action live on SHOWTIME Saturday, July 9 from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions. (photos by Esther Lin)
SAN ANTONIO – Mark Magsayo doesn’t have any inside information related to whether Manny Pacquiao will remain retired. The unbeaten WBC featherweight champion hopes, however, that the legend who inspired him to take up boxing nearly 20 years ago goes out a winner. That would require Pacquiao, who announced his retirement after Yordenis Ugas upset him last August 21 in Las Vegas, to return to the ring.
SAN ANTONIO – Mark Magsayo is fully confident defeating mandatory challenger Rey Vargas on Saturday night will lead to a featherweight title unification fight.
By Cliff Rold - Sometimes, a title win is validation of a fighter’s placement in the upper echelon in their division. Sometimes, the conditions of the win leave the jury still out. There’s no real debate that Mark Magsayo did enough to take the WBC featherweight strap off Gary Russell Jr. in January. It was a good, honest win...but also awful close by the end. It was hard to miss Russell’s limitations that night, fighting most of the night one handed and with little offense. Russell came up just short in a fight where he was getting by with guile more than his talent.
Magsayo, Vargas Weights Photos Gallery - Magsayo vs. Vargas will see WBC Featherweight World Champion Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo take on former world champion Rey Vargas in a battle of unbeatens that headlines action live on SHOWTIME Saturday, July 9 from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions. (photos by Esther Lin)
SAN ANTONIO – Mark Magsayo shook his head and pounded his chest as he stood face to face with a significantly taller Rey Vargas on Friday afternoon.
SAN ANTONIO – Rey Vargas wasn’t exactly enthralled by Mark Magsayo’s performance against Gary Russell Jr. The undefeated Filipino fighter dethroned boxing’s longest-reigning champion by majority decision January 22 at Borgata Event Center in Atlantic City. Vargas, who will challenge Magsayo for his WBC featherweight title Saturday night, still came away more impressed with how an injured Russell remained competitive while basically boxing with one arm for eight-plus rounds.
Magsayo, Vargas Final Press Conference Photos Gallery - WBC Featherweight World Champion Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo and former world champion Rey Vargas exchanged barbs at Thursday’s final press conference two days before they exchange punches in the main event of action live on SHOWTIME this Saturday, July 9 from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas in a Premier Boxing Champions event. (photos by Esther Lin)