Magsayo predicts early stoppage

MANILA, Philippines – Mark Magsayo, the young, unbeaten boxer from the famed ALA stable, can’t wait to get rid of his Mexican opponent for Pinoy Pride 35 on Feb. 27 at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City.

“Bakbakan na agad. Bagsak yan (Let’s get it on. He will go down),” said the 20-year-old, backing up his strong words with an impressive 12-0 record with 10 knockouts.

Magsayo entertained a small group of reporters yesterday noon at a Quezon City restaurant ahead of his coming fight with Mexico’s Eduardo Montoya (17-4-1 with 13 knockouts).

If impressive, Magsayo, born in Tacloban, Leyte, said he’ll land in the undercard of Nonito Donaire’s April 23 title defense at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“Dapat impressive at walang (no) cut,” said Magsayo, the reigning WBO Youth featherweight champion.

Last October, in Carson, California, he put on a show in the first Pinoy Pride presentation in the United States, needing only 85 seconds to stop Yardley Suarez at the StubHub Center.

It was a magnificent US debut for the  boxer nicknamed “Magnifico,” who has scored five knockouts in the first round.

“Prince” Albert Pagara, another flashy and undefeated pride of ALA Boxing, will face Nicaragua’s Yesner Talavera in the main bout and put his WBO Inter-Continental Jr. featherweight crown at stake.

Pagara, who dyes his hair yellow gold, was also impressive in the Carson City event, and made a lot of heads turn following a sixth-round stoppage of Nicaraguan William Gonzalez.

Like Magsayo, the 22-year-old Pagara plunged back into training just a couple of weeks after the Carson card. He said he’s ready to fight any day from now.

“Almost three months ang training namin. Light to heavy. Okay naman. Mabuti na din mahaba ang training (It’s better to have a long training),” said Pagara.

He said he studied Talavera’s style via YouTube.

“Amateur ang style niya. Sugod at atras (He comes in and out). Hindi ko lang alam ang power niya (But I can’t say anything about his power),” said Pagara, 25-0 with 18 knockouts.

Talavera will come in with a 15-3-1 record with only four knockouts under his name.

Pagara said he sparred 12 rounds last Tuesday, under his trainers led by Edmon Villamor, and will spar four rounds today here in Manila before flying back to Cebu tomorrow.

After this fight, Pagara is looking at San Francisco in July for his next US sojourn. 

Spicing up the Feb. 27 card are young Pinoy prospects Kevin Jake “KJ” Cataraja vs Mexico’s Tony Rodriguez, Melvin “Gringo” Jerusalem vs Florante Condes, Jeo “Santino” Santisima vs Marco Demecillo, Elmo “Bisdak” Traya vs Romeo Jakosalem, Melchor Roda vs Singaporean Muhammad Radhwin, and Esneth Domingo vs Vic Ejercito.