Mark Magsayo World Champion, Manny Pacquiao: Welcome to the Club!

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."

Mark Magsayo Wins WBC Belt, Here Are 5 Active World Boxing Champions from the Philippines

MDP Live - Mark Magsayo adds to the list of world boxing champions from the Philippines. He won the WBC featherweight title after winning by points over Gary Russell Jr., of America, in a fight in Atlantic City, New Jersey, January 23, 2022.

Mark Magsayo, 26, is the 45th world champion the Philippines has ever had, the fifth still active.

Check out the five currently active world boxing champions from the Philippines, apart from Mark Magsayo:

1. Nonito Donaire
(WBC bantamweight champion)

The 39-year-old boxer has won in four different classes. He has won the IBF flyweight, WBO bantamweight, WBO super bantamweight, and WBA featherweight titles. He currently holds the WBC bantamweight belt since May 2021. His boxing record is 42-6 (28 KOs).

2. Johnriel Casimero
(WBO bantamweight champion)

The 31-year-old boxer has a 31-4 record (21 KOs). He has been a WBO champion since 2019 and has twice defended his belt. He was scheduled to unify the title against Nonito Donaire in August last year, but the fight was cancelled.

3. Jerwin Ancajas
(IBF super flyweight champion)

The 30-year-old boxer has a 33-1-2 (22 KO) record. He has been a super flyweight champion (junior bantam) since 2016 and has defended his title 10 times. Ancajas last fought on April 10, 2021 and won over Jonathan Rodriguez (Mexico). He is scheduled to appear again on February 22.

4. Rene Mark Cuarto
(IBF mini flyweight champion)

The boxer has held the IBF mini flyweight title since 2021 and has only successfully defended his title once. His fighting record in the world boxing ring is 19-2 (11 KOs).

5. Mark Magsayo
(WBC featherweight champion)

The 28-year-old boxer is unbeaten in 24 fights. He won 16 wins by knockout. "My dream has come true," said Mark Magsayo after beating Russell Jr. "It's been my dream since I was a kid. I'm very proud that I'm a champion now."

The Philippines previously had many big names in the world boxing ring. One of them is Manny Pacquiao, 43, who has won in eight different classes. He retired in August 2021 for being a candidate for president of the Philippines.

Mark Magsayo snatches WBC belt from Gary Russell, Manny Pacquiao's successor

MDP Live - Mark Magsayo snatched Gary Russell's WBC belt to become the new world champion from the Philippines following the triumph of Manny Pacquiao who last year announced that he would hang up his boxing gloves. Mark Magsayo ordained himself as WBC featherweight world champion after defeating incumbent Gary Russell Jr. with absolute numbers.

Two judges, Mark Consentino and Henry Grant, gave Mark Magsayo a 115-113 victory over Russell in a 12-round battle at the Borgata Event Center, New Jersey, United States, Sunday (23/1/2022). Meanwhile Judge Lynne Carter scored a draw, 114-114.

Gary Russell, who is the longest-serving champion, struggled against the undefeated challenger Magsayo from the Philippines. The win was enough for Magsayo to extend his ring record to 24-0 (16 KOs). Magsayo, who is known to be left-handed, used his strength to beat Russell, who was reportedly injured in the fight.

The 33-year-old Russell, who hasn't fought for nearly two years, told Showtime's Jim Gray he believes he suffered a torn tendon in his right shoulder during round four. However, the final result showed Russell lost for the second time in his career which took his fighting record to 32-2 (18 KOs).

He hasn't been beaten since triple division champion Vasiliy Lomachenko defeated him by unanimous decision in the then-vacant 12-round WBO featherweight title fight in June 2014. Russell is known as the longest-serving reigning champion who has rarely fought.

Russell has no rematch clause in his contract as Magsayo is a mandatory challenger for his title. He also tells Gray he wants a rematch, but Russell questions whether Magsayo wants one.

CompuBox counted 81 more strokes for Magsayo than Russell (150-543 to 69-323). Russell was clearly restricted as he could only use one hand during the last eight rounds. Russell is generally regarded as one of the most talented boxers in the sport, but the Washington, D.C. native, has often come under criticism for his lack of fighting.

The 2008 US Olympics loss to Magsayo marked only the sixth defense of the WBC belt that Russell won by defeating Mexico's Jhonny Gonzalez in the fourth round of their March 2015 fight in Las Vegas.

Magsayo vs Gary Russell World Boxing Schedule; Will Magsayo Be the New Filipino 'Pacquiao'?

MDP Live - Filipino boxer Mark Magsayo is determined to win the WBC featherweight title (57.1 kg) from Gary Russell Jr.

This duel is scheduled to take place at the Borgata Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, United States (US), Sunday, January 23, 2022, live Showtime.

Despite being an underdog or not being seeded, Magsayo is not afraid to face Russell's big name.

Magsayo is determined to match his senior and idol, Filipino boxing legend, Manny 'Pacman' Pacquiao.

He is also very optimistic that he can become the new champion in the featherweight division.

Magsayo was present as a mandatory challenger for the WBC belt after defeating Julio Ceja in the last match at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, August 21, 2021 ago.

The victory also continued an unbeaten streak in 23 matches throughout his professional career.

While the defending champion Russell is not an easy opponent for Magsayo.

He is a world title holder who has a record of 31 wins and one loss throughout his professional career.

Russell has been the WBC featherweight world champion since 2015.

Precisely after defeating Jhonny Gonzalez at the Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, March 28, 2015.

Tale of the Tape Mark Magsayo vs Gary Russell Jr ;

MARK MAGSAYO

*Titles:-

GARY RUSSELL

World Boxing Complete Schedule for Sunday 23 January 2022:

Atlantic City, New Jersey (Showtime)

Gary Russell Jr. vs. Mark Magsayo
12 rounds – featherweights (for Russell's WBC title)

Subriel Matias vs. Petros Ananyan
12 rounds – junior welterweights

Tugstsogt Nyambar vs. Vic Pasillas
10 rounds – featherweights

Dearborn, Michigan

Hugo Centeno Jr. vs. Antonio Todd
10 rounds – middleweights

Prince Dzanie vs. James Smith
8 rounds – junior bantamweights

Montreal

Arslanbek Makhmudov vs. Mariusz Wach
10 rounds – heavyweights

German

Karen Chukhadzian vs. Ryan Martin
10 rounds – welterweights

Andrii Velikovskyi vs. Rafael Bejaren
10 rounds – middleweights

Aka, Kazakhstan

Andrey Sirotkin vs. Meiirim Nursultanov
10 rounds – middleweights.