MDP Live - Mark Magsayo is the WBC featherweight world champion after beating incumbent Gary Russell to end the longest-running boxing championship record. Mark Magsayo's victory was welcomed by Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao.
Manny Pacquiao in particular congratulated Mark Magsayo after becoming world boxing champion by tweeting on social media. Manny said Mark Magsayo's success made the Philippines proud in the world boxing ring. "Congratulations @markmagsayo_MMM on your first world championship!''
"Thank you for bringing honor to our country by becoming the Philippines' newest world boxing champion. Welcome to the club."
The new WBC featherweight champion won on points after two of the three judges gave him a 115-113 win and one judge drew 114-114. The win extended Mark Magsayo's unbeaten record to 24-0 (16 KOs). "This has been my dream since I was a child. Thank you for the support from the Filipino fans. Now I am a world champion," said Mark Magsayo.
For Russell, the defeat ended his unbeaten hegemony since 2015 when he won the WBC featherweight title by defeating Jhonny Gonzalez on March 28, 2015. Russell, who has not fought more than once in a calendar year since 2014, stepped into the ring for the first time since February 2020 when he defeated Tugstsogt Nyampay of Mongolia.
However, the 33-year-old who now has a 31-2 record (18 KOs) has picked up a shoulder injury sustained in training which he says has had an impact on the result against Magsayo. "I hit him with some good shots in the third round and that's why he got hurt."
