All news tagged JorgeMataCuéllar

Mark "Magnifico" Magsayo showed why he remains one of the Philippines’ brightest boxing hopes, as he earned a convincing unanimous decision win over Mexico’s Jorge Mata Cuellar in the undercard of the Pacquiao-Barrios showdown at the MGM Grand Arena.

It wasn’t easy. Cuellar proved to be a rugged, resilient opponent, forcing Magsayo into a gritty 10-round battle filled with powerful exchanges. 

But in the end, it was the former world champion from Tagbilaran City, Bohol who came out on top.

Two judges saw the fight as a 100-90 shutout, while the third scored it 98-92 — all in favor of Magsayo, who improved to 28 wins (18 by KO) against 2 losses. 

The win also earned him the WBC Continental Americas super featherweight title, adding momentum to his march back to world title contention.

“He was tough. He took a lot of shots but kept firing back. I had to stay sharp all the way,” Magsayo said after the bout.

While the scorecards suggest a dominant performance, the reality inside the ring told a tougher story. Cuellar absorbed Magsayo’s best shots — especially in the fourth round where the Filipino let loose a flurry of clean power punches — and still managed to respond with sharp counterattacks.

The victory marks a successful U.S. return for Magsayo, whose last title reign came after dethroning Gary Russell Jr. in 2022 to become the WBC featherweight world champion.

Now competing in the super featherweight division, Magsayo is once again on the brink of a world title shot, and Saturday’s win solidified his position in the queue.

“We’re staying focused. I can’t be complacent. The goal is to be world champion again,” he said.

With the win, Magsayo made it 2-0 for Filipino fighters on the Pacquiao-Barrios undercard, following Eumir Marcial’s earlier victory — a strong showing for Philippine boxing on one of its grandest nights.

“Hats off to Jorge Mata, he is a tough fighter. Thank you for giving a great show to the boxing fans tonight. Big thank you to my team for all the improvements you made to me — I owe it to all of you,” Magsayo concluded.

Filipino former champion Mark "Magnifico" Magsayo is slated to face Jorge Mata Cuéllar of Mexico in a non-title 10-round super featherweight clash on the undercard of the Pacquiao-Barrios event on July 19 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The 30-year-old Magsayo, with a stunning 27 wins, 2 loss, 18 KOs), hailing from Tagbilaran, Bohol, is riding high on the momentum of three consecutive victories since moving up to the 130-pound division, as he aims to reclaim a shot at a world title.

On the other hand, 24-year-old Cuéllar (21-2-2, 13 KOs) from Guadalajara, Mexico, arrives on the scene after scoring five straight wins. He is eager to topple the former Filipino champion to enhance his world ranking.

Currently, Magsayo is positioned at #2 by the WBC and #3 by the WBO, while Mata holds the #9 spot in the WBO rankings, making this encounter particularly significant.

A victory is vital for both fighters, promising an intense 10 rounds of action. For Magsayo, winning this bout is crucial for regaining his momentum as he eyes a future challenge for the super featherweight world title.