Magsayo likely to defend WBC title against Vargas

CEBU, Philippines — Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo will most likely put his WBC featherweight title on the line for the first time against the top-ranked contender Rey Vargas of Mexico.

This came after the WBC through its president Maurico Sulaiman has ordered the newly-crowned champion Magsayo to defend his belt against Vargas, who once held court in the WBC super bantamweight division for three years from 2017 to 2020.

Magsayo, 26, seized the WBC 126-pound crown after dethroning Gary Russell, Jr. by majority decision six nights ago at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Moments after overthrowing Russell, Magsayo has expressed his readiness to face anybody who would dare challenge his reign.

“I’m willing to fight anybody. I’m a champion now,” Magsayo declared.

Vargas, for his part, welcomes the chance to slug it out with Magsayo.

“We are the mandatory challenger, Mr. Sulaiman has just confirmed it. We knew we were going straight to the title, we just waited to find out who would win that fight between Russell and Magsayo and since Magsayo is the new champion, then we are going against him,” said Vargas.

“I can’t ask for anything more. Going straight for the title against Magsayo makes me feel, very, very happy,” he added.

If the plan pushes through, it would be an exciting battle of the unbeaten.

The Tagbilaran City, Bohol-native Magsayo holds a perfect 24-0 record spiked with 16 knockouts while Vargas, 31, is unscathed in 35 fights packed with 22KOs.

Meanwhile, MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons, the promoter of Magsayo, admitted that Russell deserves a rematch.

 “I would say Gary absolutely deserves a rematch,” Gibbons told Keith Idec of BoxingScene.com. “He fought gallantly. He fought through a lot of stuff with his father, with his brother’s passing, the injury he sustained in the fight. So, I wanted to say to everybody I believe he deserves a rematch, if it fits into the schedule, and that he’s a classy guy. He really is, man. The guy showed up, fought hurt or whatever it was, so I like the Russell family. I really do.”