Mark Magsayo briefly held the WBC featherweight title after beating Gary Russell Jr
Salvador Rodriguez, confirming an earlier report from Viva Promotions, brings word that former featherweight champion Mark Magsayo will meet Eduardo Ramirez in a “WBC Super Featherweight title eliminator” on PBC’s June 15th Gervonta Davis vs Frank Martin show in Las Vegas.
Magsayo (25-2, 17 KO) is best known for freeing the WBC featherweight title from the tyranny of Gary Russell Jr, edging out the long-reigning champ after the latter suffered a shoulder injury. He went on to lose that title in his first defense, a narrow split decision defeat to Rey Vargas, then missed out on claiming the interim title after fading late against Brandon Figueroa.
He bounced back last December by beating the completely cooked Isaac Avelar in his super featherweight debut, earning the WBC’s no. 6 spot in the process.
No. 8 Ramirez (28-3-3, 13 KO) knocked out Leduan Barthelemy to kick off a five-fight winning streak, but his 2022 decision to move up in weight to challenge Isaac Cruz saw him mauled in two. He likewise bounced back with a gimme at 130 and I’m not going to judge him too harshly for falling to a dude who just won a title two weight classes above that.
Should be a quality scrap between two historically entertaining fighters.
As for that eliminator status, I’ll admit to being a bit uncertain. I was under the impression that Masanori Rikiishi’s finish of Michael Magnesi was a final eliminator, but the WBC have Rikiishi at no. 2 behind Robson Conceicao, who fights champion O’Shaquie Foster on July 6th. Presumably they’ll either bump Rikiishi up after that or have him face the Magsayo-Ramirez winner for a crack at the belt.
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