The look on Mark Magsayo’s face was priceless.
Moments earlier, he was a picture of despair and panic as he stepped on the scales, wishing and praying that he had gotten rid of the excess baggage that he had brought along during his first attempt to make the featherweight limit of 126 lbs.
But as soon as officials declared that he had cut off the extra 0.8 lbs, Magsayo, now sporting a wide grin, thumped his chest and screamed as chief trainer Marvin Somodio wrapped a white towel around his waist.
His mood was the opposite of what he displayed around two hours earlier when he came in overweight.
As per rules, the Filipino fighter was given two hours to get down to 126 and he and his team were ecstatic when he made it, making Saturday night’s (Sunday in Manila) interim World Boxing Council featherweight title fight a go at the Toyota Center in Ontario, California.
Brandon Figueroa, Magsayo’s heavily-favored foe, breezed through the scales.
Holding a two-inch height advantage at 5-8 and a four-inch edge in wingspan, Figueroa weighed in at 126 lbs.
Their scheduled 12-rounder is not expected to go the distance, thus rendering the scorecards of judges Gary Ritter, Zac Young and Rudy Barragan useless. The third man in the ring will be Tom Taylor.
Given the styles of the two and their penchant for pulling off knockout wins, Figueroa and Magsayo won’t be dancing the night away although they looked like long-lost buddies when they ran into each other after the weighin.
Magsayo, thrilled that he was declared ready to go, bumped into Figueroa and they engaged in an embrace.
“Good luck, brother,” Magsayo, holder of a 24-1 record with 16 knockouts, told Figueroa.”I made it (weight).”
“Yes, good job,” answered Figueroa, who enters the ring tonight with a 23-1-1 slate with 18 knockouts.
“See you guys tomorrow,” Figueroa added.
Don’t blink. This is going to be a humdinger.
