Magsayo demolishes ex-title challenger Diaz in Pinoy Pride 41 headliner

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo made quick work of Nicaragua’s Daniel “El General” Diaz, knocking him down 3 times to force a stoppage at the 1:45 mark of the first round in the main event of Pinoy Pride 41 held at the IEC Convention Center in Cebu City, Philippines.

Diaz rose up twice after getting hit with punishing left hooks from Magsayo but was sent back down once more by the same weapon.

Magsayo (17-0, 13 knockouts) said that he didn’t hesitate to end the fight early seeing that he already had a chance to do so when Diaz hit the canvas first.

“Sa una nga left hook mura man siya nalipong so wala na nako gi-undangan, ako na lang gipun-an, natymingan lang jud to siya sa left hook,” said Magsayo, who scores his second straight first round knockout.

(With the first left hook, he seemed to get dizzy so I didn’t hesitate, I added more, he just got caught by my timely left hook.)

(READ: Mark Magsayo: Future of Philippine boxing?)

Magsayo said he did not expect the match to end that fast because Diaz (23-8-2, 15 KOs) was a 13-year ring veteran and had previously challenged for the WBA bantamweight title in 2011. The loss was the 33-year-old fighter’s third by knockout.

The crowd, however, was not happy with the brevity of the match.

ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer said that Magsayo’s next fight will be in October, probably in his hometown in Tagbilaran City, Bohol. His opponent, however, is still unknown.

“Mao sad na ako gusto nga makaduwa sa akong yutang natawhan,” said Magsayo.

(That is also what I want, to be able to play in the place where I was born.)

Magsayo was not the only Filipino boxer who scored an early knockout as his fellow ALA boxers – Jeo “Santino” Santisima and “Prince” Albert Pagara – also kayoed their opponents.

Santisima sent Tanzania’s Goodluck Mrema to the canvas in just one minute and 18 seconds of the first round of their junior featherweight match, the co-main event of Pinoy Pride 41. 

Mrema was helped to his corner after he was hit by Santisima with an overhand right. It took a while for Mrema to recover. Santisima (14-2, 12 KOs) was the larger appearing fighter, weighing 123 pounds to the 120 pounds of Mreme (16-1, 8 KOs), who had fought as a flyweight as recently as last October.

Pagara (28-1, 19 KOs) inflicted a left uppercut to the ribs of Thailand’s Aekkawee Kaewmanee (16-10, 6 KOs) that sent the visitor flat on the canvas to finish the fight at the 2:39 point of round 4 in their featherweight fight.

Pagara, who is still in rehab mode after his devastating knockout loss to Cesar Juarez, is still far from his old form follow as confirmed by Aldeguer.

Canoy upsets Jerusalem

The fight of the night was between General Santos’ Joey Canoy and Bukidnon’s Melvin “Gringo”  Jerusalem. The judges scored the minimumweight fight 95-93 on two cards and 96-92 on the third for Canoy.

Both fighters were on equal footing in the first 3 rounds but Jerusalem upped his game in the fourth round. Canoy (13-3-1, 6 KOs) answered in the 5th round but Jerusalem, who was coming off a close loss to WBC strawweight champ Wanheng Menayothin in January, ended the next round with a straight jab to Canoy’s right cheek.

The seventh round was the game changer as Canoy’s right hook wobbled Jerusalem (11-2, 7 KOs). Although he recovered in the eighth round, he was deducted a point for a low blow. The 10th round was an all Canoy show as he continuously pummelled Jerusalem.

Other winners were Kevin Jake Cataraja of Cebu who also scored a knockout over General Santos City’s Lony Cadayday; Junrel Jimenez also of Cebu who kayoed fellow Cebuano Margarito Moya; and Sultan Kudarat’s Esneth Domingo who won via unanimous decision over Cebu City’s John Kenan Villaflor. All these fights were in the flyweight division. – Rappler.com