Magsayo faces Jorge Mata Cuellar in Pacquiao-Barrios undercard

Mark Magsayo (left) and Mexican Jorge Mata Cuellar (right). | Instagram photos

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Former world champion Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo has finally found his next opponent: Mexico’s Jorge Mata Cuellar.

The two sluggers are set to clash on July 19 as part of the stacked undercard of the Manny Pacquiao vs. Mario Barrios WBC world welterweight showdown at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Magsayo confirmed the matchup while ramping up his training in Los Angeles alongside his promoter and boxing idol, Pacquiao.

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Now fighting in the super featherweight division, the 29-year-old Tagbilaran City native has looked sharp since moving up in weight, winning his last three bouts in a dominant fashion.

That run comes in stark contrast to his last featherweight fight, where he dropped a unanimous decision to Mexican brawler Brandon Figueroa in 2023 for the WBC interim title.

Magsayo is currently ranked No. 3 in the WBO super featherweight rankings, trailing only Japan’s Kenichi Ogawa and fellow Filipino Charly Suarez. In the WBC rankings, he sits at No. 2, just behind Eduardo Hernandez.

Mata Cuellar, 24, is ranked No. 8 in the WBO. The former WBO NABO featherweight champion boasts a record of 21 wins, 2 losses, and 2 draws, with 13 of those victories coming by knockout. He enters the bout on a five-fight win streak, including four wins in 2023.

Magsayo (27-2, 18KOs), meanwhile, has yet to fight this year. His most recent bout was in December 2024, when he scored a second-round knockout win over Mexican Bryan Mercado.