MANILA – Filipino boxer Mark Magsayo claimed the WBA Inter-Continental super featherweight belt with a unanimous decision win over Mexican Eduardo Ramirez on Sunday (Philippine time) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
A native of Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Magsayo clinched the championship belt after garnering 97-92, 97-92, and 99-90 decision from judges Glenn Feldman, Lisa Giampa, and Don Trella.
Magsayo, a former WBC featherweight champion, set the tone in the opening round before he dropped Ramirez with a strong right hand followed by a solid uppercut in the third round.
The Filipino fighter then punished his Mexican opponent with heavy shots to the body in the sixth round, although Ramirez managed to put up a fight in the eighth and survived until the tenth round.
“It’s a great fight for me. Eduardo is a good fighter,” the 28-year-old Magsayo said in a short video posted by Premier Boxing Championship Facebook page.
Magsayo, who is now based in Valencia, California, has won his second straight bout after winning over another Mexican Isaac Avelar by third round knockout last December 9.
Prior to that, Magsayo lost his WBC world featherweight championship to Rey Vargas in 2022 and was unable to capture the WBC interim world featherweight title in 2023 as he bowed to Mexican Brandon Figueroa.
With the victory, Magsayo improved to a 26-2-0 win-loss-draw ring record, including 17 victories by way of stoppages.
Ramirez, the 31-year-old former world title challenger from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, dropped to a 28-4-3 boxing slate with 13 knockout wins.
The Magsayo-Ramirez bout will determine the top contender in the super featherweight division./PN
