Bangis at dugong mandirigma ni Magsayo, malalasap ni Russel

ni Gerard Arce - @Sports | January 23, 2022

Ipalalasap ni Filipino featherweight title contender Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo ang bangis at dugong mandirigma na nananalaytay sa kanya kontra kay WBC 126-pound champion Gary Russel Jr. upang makuha ang pinaka-aasam na titulo ngayong umaga (oras sa Pilipinas) sa Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa sa Atlantic City sa New Jersey sa U.S.

Walang kahirap-hirap na tumuntong sa weigh-in ang 26-anyos mula Tagbilaran City, Bohol sa timbang na 125.5-lbs, habang kinailangang magbawas ng Amerikanong kampeon upang makuha ang 125.5-lbs sa ikalawang pagsalang sa 12-round main event title fight.

Matindi ang naisin ni Magsayo (23-0, 16KOs) na wakasan ang 7-fight winning streak at halos 7 taon na paghahari sa WBC title ni Russel Jr. (31-1, 18KOs), “Filipinos are born strong, we are warriors. I’m going to bring that attitude and that mentality into the fight,” pahayag ni Magsayo na itataya ang undefeated streak mula sa 10th round stoppage kay Julio Ceja ng Mexico. “I learned a lot from the Julio Ceja fight. I showed that I can adjust, that I can brawl and that I can box when I have to. That fight has helped me so much.”

“I think I’m the fighter who wants to beat him more than anyone else has. I’m here to give him his second loss on Saturday night,” saad ni Magsayo, na lubos ang paghahanda at preparasyon sa ilalim ng batikan at Hall of Famer coach at trainer na si Freddie Roach at rising trainer Marvin Somodio sa Wild Card Gym sa Los Angeles.

“It’s great to have Freddie Roach and Marvin Somodio helping me every day. I thought that I already knew boxing, but when I came to the gym they corrected my mistakes and made me a much more accurate puncher.”

Halos dalawang taong hindi sumabak sa ibabaw ng ring ang 33-anyos na American boxer mula Washington D.C., ngunit sinigurong hindi magiging isyu ito dahil panay ang kanyang ensayo, habang kamakailan lang ay may naramdaman diyang injury na hindi idinetalye.