Undefeated featherweight Mark ‘Magnifico’ Magsayo 21-0 (14) had to dig deep to score a 10-round split decision victory over a determined Rigoberto Hermosillo 11-3-1 (8) at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Saturday night.
The 25-year-old Filipino featherweight entered the fight as the short-priced favourite, but no-one gave Hermosillo the memo.
Magsayo was originally scheduled to face Utah’s Jose Haro 15-1-1 (8) before being replaced by Hermosillo who had mixed with tougher opposition including Manny Robles III.
The rhythm of the fight was set early with Magsayo throwing the heavier blows but with southpaw Hermosillo being the more active. In the opening round Magsayo landed 52% of his 23 punches – a total of 12 – while Hermosillo connected with 16 of 83 blows at 19%.
Hermosillo tried to throw Magsayo off by moving forward behind punches and targeting Magsayo’s body and it worked to a degree. Magsayo didn’t outland Hermosillo until the fifth round.
Hermosillo threw many more punches and landed slightly more punches than Magsayo throughout the bout but Magsayo connected with the more hurtful power shots.
Both fighters threw their fight high punches in the final frame with Hermosillo offloading 106 to Magsayo’s 53.
The scorecards were all over the place with judge Rudy Barragan awarding the fight to Magsayo 100-90, while judge Zachary Young had it 96-94 for the winner. Judge Lou Moret saw it the others way, 96-94 for Hermosillo.
“I’m very happy to get this victory,” said Magsayo, who was having his first fight under new coach Freddie Roach.
“Freddie got me in great shape for this fight and I’m happy working with him. I faced a tough fighter tonight, but I know I’m ready to beat anyone in the division.”
Roach was happy with the performance but suggested they still had more to work on in the gym.
“You know he’s one of the best punchers in the gym. He knocks people down all the time,” said the Hall of Fame trainer.
“But he just wasn’t letting his hands got tonight.
“I kept urging him to throw more combinations and more power and he gave it a little bit at a time and it was enough to win the fight. I was grateful for that.”
Magsayo is the number four ranked featherweight by the WBC and the IBF, while the WBA has him at number 14.
The fight Roach would like to see for Magsayo is against WBC 126-pound champion Gary Russell Jr 31-1 (18) – but not just yet.
“Gary Russell, I would love to fight him. The thing is, we need a lot more work in the gym,” said Roach.
“We’ve been working together for a while now but we need some more time and we need to connect a little bit better. He wasn’t following my lead.”
In the main support bout unbeaten welterweight prospect Paul Kroll 8-0 (6) took a 10-round unanimous decision over Luke Santamaria 11-2-1 (7).
Santamaria had Kroll hurt with a body shot in the second round, but Kroll came on late to win by scores of 99-91, 99-91 and 96-94.
The undefeated Barrientes twins both went the distance for the first time in separate six-round featherweight bouts.
Super bantamweight Angel Barrientes 4-0 (3) outpointed Fernando Ibarra 2-4 by scores of 59-54 across the board after being deducted a point for holding in round six.
At featherweight Chavez Barrientes 4-0 (3) got the nod over Ivan Varela 3-4 (1) by scores of 60-54, 60-54 and 59-55.