LAS VEGAS — Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo did his best to score a knockout win Saturday night but he found Mexican Jorge Mata a tough nut to crack as he cruised to a lopsided 10-round decision victory in the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Mario Barrios world welterweight title clash at the MGM Grand Garden Arena here.
The Los Angeles-based Magsayo, who briefly held the world featherweight title, did enough to earn scores of 100-90 (Jack Reiss and Mike Fitzgerald) and 98-92 (Glen Feldman) in their World Boxing Council Continental Americas super featherweight title fight on Sunday (Manila time).
It was in the fourth frame when Magsayo came close to knocking Mata down as he landed solid uppercuts and rights.
But Mata, fighting out of Guadalajara, endured the onslaught and even traded blows with the Filipino pride, who made a last-ditch effort to please the crowd with a stoppage.
Still, Mata fought bravely and proved to be a big disappointment for Magsayo, who was hoping to duplicate Eumir Marcial’s show of force in the curtain-raiser.
With about five seconds remaining in the last round, Magsayo clowned a bit and raised his hands as if saying he already had the fight in the bag.
The win raised Magsayo’s win-loss-draw record to 28-2-0 with 18 knockouts while the loss dropped Mata’s card to 21-3-2 with 13 knockouts.
Magsayo’s likely next stop is an appearance as one of the top draws when the Thrilla in Manila 50th year celebration is staged in the Philippines in October.