IT WILL be a memorable homecoming for Mark Magsayo as he returns to Tagbilaran City, Bohol to face his toughest test since coming back from a long layoff.
Magsayo will slug it out with two-time world champion Pungluang Sor Singyu for the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) Pan Pacific and World Boxing Council (WBC) Asia featherweight titles in the Vladimir Boxing Promotions’ “Pride of Bohol” show on Aug. 31, 2019 at the Bohol Wisdom School gym.
The 24-year-old Magsayo sees this fight opportunity to move back up to the world ratings after dropping his rank due to a 17-month layoff.
“This is a challenging opponent because he’s a fighter. He also owns a win over AJ (Banal). I have seen his style and I’ll do my best to win the belts,” Magsayo told SunStar Cebu.
After a unanimous decision win over Japanese Shota Hayashi on Nov. 25, 2017 at the Bohol Wisdom School Gym, Magsayo had a long inactivity due to a contractual dispute with his former handlers.
He made his ring return last April 12, 2019 and scored a fourth round knockout of Erick Deztroyer in Singapore.
Magsayo, who was once rated highly in all major boxing sanctioning bodies, is now ranked No. 8 in the WBC.
Magsayo is training at the Elorde Boxing Gym and has been sparring with Richard Pumicpic, Jay Berwela and Jeffrey Francisco.
The 29-year-old Sor Singyu is coming off a unanimous decision win over Pinoy Carlo Magali last April. Before that, he was on a slump with three straight defeats against Marlon Tapales, Czar Amonsot and Paul Fleming.
Sor Singyu is a two-time WBO bantamweight champion that earned fame after knocking out heavily-favored AJ Banal back in 2012.
Magsayo is unbeaten with 19-0 with 14 knockouts, while Sor Singyu is 53-6 with 35 knockouts. EKA