With Arum, Paco watching, Magsayo and Pagara target decisive wins on April 23

WITH Top Rank big boss Bob Arum and World Boxing Organization (WBO) President Francisco Valcarcel watching, two of ALA Boxing Gym’s hottest prospects vow to score impressive victories in the undercard of “The Time Has Come: Donaire Vs. Bedak” on April 23 at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).

Jason “El Niño” Pagara and Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo said they will all go out for a short and scintillating win if only to get the attention of the esteemed boxing luminaries.

The card will be headlined by Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire who will defend his title against Hungarian Zsolt Bedak.

Pagara and Magsayo underscored their preparedness for their upcoming fights during a public workout held at the SM City Cebu Friday afternoon.

Edmund Villamor believes that both fighters will be tested on April 23. But the trainer remains confident in his wards’ preparedness.

The unbeaten Magsayo (13-0, 10KOs), the reigning WBO youth featherweight champion, will go up against American Chris Avalos (26-4, 19KOs) for the vacant WBO international featherweight title while Pagara (37-2, 23KOs) will meet Mexican Miguel “Mikol” Zamudio (35-8-1, 21Kos) in a 10-round showdown.

For Pagara, a knockout win is a must to gain a world title shot against reigning WBO world super lightweight champion Terrence Crawford especially since he is the No. 1 in the division. “I really want to fight Crawford that’s why I will make sure I will win convincingly and get Arum and Valcarcel’s attention. The fight won’t last for 10 rounds.”

Magsayo, meanwhile, said that after he won over Eduardo Montoya to clinch the WBO youth featherweight title here in Cebu last February 28, he only had one week to rest. Within that week, he got married and after a short honeymoon, he went back to the gym.

“I have to train very hard for this because it’s the biggest fight of my life with boxing’s big bosses watching,” Magsayo said.