Former world champion Mark Magsayo makes his super-featherweight debut against Mexican lefty Isaac Avelar Saturday night (Sunday in Manila) in Long Beach, California.
Coming off back-to-back defeats, Magsayo tests the waters at the 130-lb division against a respectable rival in Avelar, who comes in with a 17-6 win-loss card with 10 knockouts.
Magsayo dropped bouts to Rey Vargas, also from Mexico, and Brandon Figueroa, in his last two assignments and is eager to get back on track.
Parading a 24-6 mark with 16 knockouts, Magsayo briefly held the World Boxing Council featherweight (126 lbs) title before losing it to Vargas in San Antonio, Texas, in July 2022.
In a bid to get going, Magsayo faced Figueroa, a heavy-handed Texan but lost on points, last March in Ontario, California.
Formerly trained by Hall of Fame cornerman Freddie Roach, Magsayo, nicknamed “Magnifico,” is now under Marvin Somodio.
