Now under new chief trainer Marvin Somodio, featherweight Mark "Magnifico" Magsayo is all pumped up to regain the World Boxing Council strap that he lost last year.

But the road back to the top is littered with landmines.

Still, Magsayo is determined to become world champion again as he teams up with Somodio, a longtime Wild Card resident strategist.

Somodio isn't actually joining Magsayo's camp for the first time since he had previously served as Freddie Roach's able assistant countless times.

As he and Magsayo await official word about a planned 4 March showdown with American Brandon Figueroa for the interim WBC 126-lb belt, the two have been working thrice a week at the Brickhouse Boxing Club in North Hollywood.

"Once we get confirmation about the fight date and opponent, we immediately start full (training) camp," Somodio said yesterday from Los Angeles.

Magsayo briefly held the WBC title from January 2022 until July 2022.

The reign was so quick that Magsayo insists that he could have reigned much longer.

And that's the task at hand now that the 27-year-old from Bohol has joined hands with Somodio, who also held a special post during the fighting days of Manny Pacquiao.

Magsayo holds a 24-1-1 win-loss-draw record with 16 knockouts while Figueroa, who hails from Texas, packs a 23-1-1 mark with 18 knockouts.

"It's a tough matchup for Mark but I have full confidence in him," Sean Gibbons, whose MP Promotions represents Magsayo, said from Las Vegas.