Mark Magsayo lands a straight left to Ecuador’s Bryan Mercado, forcing the referee to stop the beating in the second round of the super featherweight fight.

MANILA, Philippines – Former world champion Mark Magsayo proved he is ready for another title shot by demolishing Bryan Mercado in the second round on Saturday, December 14 (Sunday, December 15, Philippine time) at Thunder Studios in Long Beach, in California.

The Filipino slugger dropped the outmatched Ecuadorian twice in the first round – with a left hook to the body followed by another left to the head.

Mercado tried to buy time by dropping his mouthguard during the countdown, but it didn’t work as Magsayo tagged him again seconds after the fight resumed. Magsayo, the 2022 World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight king, was going for the kill when the bell rang.

Backed up in the second round, Magsayo landed another body shot and Mercado was nearly counted out. However, nothing could stop Magsayo this time, as he landed a left straight to the face, forcing the referee to stop the beating in the 28th second.

Magsayo – who performed his usual backflip after the six-round super featherweight fight was stopped – took his record to 27 wins against 2 losses with 18 knockouts. Mercado slipped to 11-7 with 6 KOs.

Training hard under Marvin Somodio, Magsayo tipped the scales at 133.8 pounds at the official weigh-in where Mercado came in at 134.4.

MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons, who traces Magsayo’s career, called for a world title eliminator between the pride of Tagbilaran, Bohol and Mexico’s Eduardo Hernandez at the 62nd WBC Convention in Hamburg, Germany.

Magsayo, 29, now based in Los Angeles, is ranked No. 3 by the WBC and Hernandez No. 2. The other option for Magsayo is to opt for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) super featherweight belts, where he is ranked No. 3, the World Boxing Association (WBA), where he is No. 4, or the International Boxing Federation (IBF), where he is No. 5.

Magsayo has repeatedly stated that he will fight anyone to become world champion again. – Rappler.com