Magsayo closer to title shot

MANILA, Philippines —  It didn’t take long for WBC/WBO No. 3, WBA No. 4 and IBF No. 5 superfeatherweight contender Mark Magsayo to demolish Ecuadorian Bryan Mercado in their six-round bout at Thunder Studios, Long Beach, California, Saturday night (yesterday afternoon, Manila). Magsayo sent Mercado down twice in the first round then twice more in the second before referee Gerard White called it off at the 0:28 mark.

Mercado was totally outclassed in the abbreviated annihilation. Magsayo used a jarring left jab to seize early control of the fight then moved around the ring to cut off Mercado’s escape routes. He hammered the Ecuadorian’s rib cage with a left hook to score the first knockdown. Mercado got up but fell once more to buy time to recover and was saved by the bell.

xIn the second frame, Magsayo continued to bang Mercado’s torso and the flustered Ecuadorian went down again. Mercado beat the count then another left to the side of the body produced the fourth trip to the canvas, prompting White to halt the carnage.

“The opponent wasn’t that good but at the last minute, that’s all we could get,” said MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons whose son Brendan was in Magsayo’s corner with coach Marvin Somodio. “The key was Mark needed the activity. He needed to stay busy, stay sharp, fighting only once this year before Mercado so this was amazing to get this win in the books. We’re looking at one more stay-active fight before the WBC orders on March 1 a title eliminator with Rocky Hernandez for the mandatory defense. Hopefully, Mark will get back in the ring one more time, stay active, stay sharp.”