Magsayo can now train his sights on the bigger names of the 130-pound division.
Mark Magsayo is back!
With his snowballing boxing career stalled by back-to-back losses, there was no doubt he needed a win on Sunday against Mexico’s Isaac Avelar on the undercard of CBN Promotions’ “New Blood” card.
And Magnifico sure delivered, chalking up a win in destructive fashion—knocking out Avelar cold in the third round of what was a dominant display from the Filipino from the get-go.
Magsayo did damage early in the third round, hunting down Avelar aggressively and peppering him with combinations—including one that sent the Mexican to his knees.
The end would come later, when Magsayo caught Avelar flush with a sweeping left hook that sent the 26-year-old flat on his back to the canvas. The Mexican was so out of it that referee Ivan Guillermo did not even have to count, waving off the fight at the 1:13 mark of the third round to give Magnifico his first win at the 130-pound (junior lightweight) division.
“I work hard every day in the gym and I want to prove that I belong in the junior lightweight division.,” said Magsayo postfight. “I feel more comfortable and stronger at this weight. You saw how I sat down on the punch with the knockout.”
Avelar laid motionless on the canvass for several seconds before being helped back up. He was eventually placed on a stretcher and wheeled out of the venue as a precautionary measure.
Later on, Magsayo, who improved his record to 25-2 with 17 KOs, posted on X (formerly Twitter) a powerful and classy message for the fallen Avelar.
I am praying for the safety of my opponent Isaac Avelar,” Magsayo wrote. “In the end we are boxers and outside the ring we are brothers. We are fighting for our families and our countries. I hope Isaac is okay.”
It should be noted that while he was stretchered out of the venue, Avelar was actually conscious and alert before being strapped on to the stretcher.
With the win, Magsayo can now set his sights on bigger fights at 130.