Mark Magsayo vs. Michael Magnesi - October 29, 2025

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Mark Magsayo vs Michael Magnesi eliminator set for October 29th in Manila

Mark Magsayo will have home-field advantage for his final eliminator against Michael Magnesi this autumn

Italian publication OA Sport reports that super featherweight contender Michael Magnesi will head to the Philippines to battle former featherweight champion Mark Magsayo in an October 29th WBC final eliminator. The winner will be in line to face champion O’Shaquie Foster, whose planned clash with Stephen Fulton remains on ice after the collapse of Gervonta Davis vs Lamont Roach Jr on August 16th.

Magsayo (28-2, 18 KOs), best known for his 2022 upset of Gary Russell Jr, moved up to 130 following decision losses to Rey Vargas and Brandon Figueroa. He’s 4-0 since, his best wins coming over Eduardo Ramirez and Jorge Mata.

Magnesi (25-2, 13 KOs) was within spitting distance of a WBC title shot last year before suffering a literal last-minute comeback stoppage loss to Masanori Rikiishi in his native Italy. He’s coming off a solid decision win over European champion Khalil El Hadri, which earned him the “silver” title and put him back in the queue.

Sneaky good fight, this; two very good super featherweights looking for a breakout win. Hopefully American viewers will have the option to watch it live.

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MARK MAGSAYO-MICHAEL MAGNESI WBC 130-POUND TITLE ELIMINATOR SET FOR OCT. 29

Mark Magsayo and Michael Magnesi will meet in a WBC junior lightweight title eliminator on Oct. 29, the sanctioning body has announced.

The bout is set to take place in Magsayo’s native land of the Philippines as the country celebrates the 50th anniversary of the “Thrilla in Manila” trilogy fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.

The Magsayo-Magnesi winner will become the mandatory challenger to current champion O’Shaquie Foster, who is set to face Stephen Fulton on Oct. 25 in Las Vegas.

The former WBC featherweight champion Magsayo (28-2, 18 KOs) has been trending toward the title opportunity, and further secured his standing in July by scoring a 10-round unanimous decision win against Jorge Mata.

Magsayo has notched four consecutive wins after losing back-to-back fights against Rey Vargas in 2022 and Brandon Figueroa in 2023. Magsayo, a 30-year-old from Bohol now based in Los Angeles and training out of Wild Card, landed a career-best win against Gary Allen Russell Jr. in 2022 to win the title, but he failed to defend it.

The 30-year-old Magnesi (25-2, 13 KOs) has primarily fought in Mexico throughout his 10-year career. Magnesi has had an uneven 4-2 ride in his last six fights featuring two wins against unbeatens as well as a knockout loss against Masanori Rikiishi in March 2024 and a split decision defeat to Anthony Cacace in 2022.

Magnesi’s loss against Rikiishi came with less than 30 seconds remaining in the 12th round while leading on all of the scorecards.

The WBC has Magsayo ranked No. 1 and Magnesi rated No. 2, but neither is in The Ring’s top 10 rankings.

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MELVIN JERUSALEM-SIYAKHOLWA KUSE FOR WBC STRAWWEIGHT TITLE ON MAGSAYO-MAGNESI BILL

Melvin Jerusalem will make a third defence of his WBC strawweight world title, meeting South Africa's Siyakholwa Kuse on the Mark Magsayo-Michael Magnesi undercard on October 29.

Manny Pacquiao's Blow by Blow Promotions has been working towards staging a show in The Philippines to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 'Thrilla In Manila' trilogy fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. Now, the card is taking shape.

As reported by The Ring's Manouk Akopyan, the headline fight will feature the WBC's No. 1 ranked junior lightweight Mark Magsayo (28-2, 18 KOs) facing Michael Magnesi (25-2, 13 KOs) in a final title eliminator.

Jerusalem-Kuse was slated for an October date in Manila but now the 16,500-seater Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City will host the 31-year-old's latest championship contest.

Jerusalem (24-3, 12 KOs) is The Ring's No. 1-rated strawweight while Kuse (9-2-1, 4 KOs) sits at No. 4.

Former unified junior featherweight titlist Marlon Tapales (40-4, 20 KOs), The Ring's top-ranked divisional contender, will return to action against an opponent to be announced. The 33-year-old has recently sparred former foe Naoya Inoue in Japan, less than two full years after Inoue's 10th-round knockout win saw him crowned undisputed 122-pound champion.

Ali's grandson Nico Ali Walsh (11-2, 5 KOs) is also set to box on the undercard, as is Pacquiao's son Eman Bacosa (6-0-1, 4 Kos).

Meanwhile, a host of local talent will round out the undercard featuring rising junior featherweight contender Carl Jammes Martin (26-0, 20 KOs), middleweight Weljon Mindoro (15-0-1, 15 KOs), two-time Olympian Eumir Marcial (6-0, 4 KOs).

World-rated junior flyweight contender Arvin Magramo (19-2-1, 11 KOs) returns after outpointing former strawweight beltholder Rene Mark Cuarto, while bantamweight Benny Canete (12-2, 8 KOs) ends a year-long layoff too.

Unbeaten rising flyweight talent Roderick Bautista (8-0, 6 KOs) looks to continue his fine form, while divisional rival Albert Francisco (14-1, 10 KOs) is buoyant after a stoppage win over 10-0 pro Angilou Dalogdog last month. 21-year-old lightweight prospect Ronerick Ballesteros (5-0-1, 4 KOs) will seek to build on his four-fight finish streak elsewhere.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Later this month