TAGBILARAN CITY – Walang sigalot at gusot sa isinagawang weigh-in kahapon kung saan kapwa pasok sa limitadong timbang sina local boy Mark ‘Magnifico’ Magsayo at Shota Hayashi ng Japan sa Island City Mall dito.
Magtutuos ang dalawa sa main event ng Pinoy Pride 43: The Battle in Bohol ngayon kung saan nakataya ang WBO International featherweight championship sa Bohol Wisdom Gym.
Tumimbang si Magsayo sa 126 lbs. habang may bigat na 125 lbs. si Hayashi,
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Pinangasiwaan ni WBO vice-president Leon Panoncillo Jr ang weigh-in. Tatayong referee si Danrex Tapdasan, habang mga hurado sina Edward Ligas, Edgar Olalo at Salven Lagumbay.
Sa supporting bout, mapapalaban si Albert Pagara, may bigat na 124.5 lbs kontra Mohammed Kambuluta ng Tanzania para sa 10-round super bantamweight fight.
Nakatakda naman sa 10-round super bantamweight fight sina Jeo Santisima at Kichang Kim ng Indonesia.
Samantala, sinabi ni Panoncillo, Jr, na malaki ang tsansa ni Magsayo na makalaban sa world title eliminator akaling magwagi siya kay Hayashi.
Aniya, kailangan labanan ng No. 1 ranked contender na si Joseph ‘Jojo’ Diaz ang No.2 contender para malaman ang mandatory challenger kay world champion Oscar Valdez.
“We have a process to be followed wherein the top contender will have to fight the next available contender in the Top 15 with the winner to become the mandatory challenger,” pahayag ni Panoncillo.
“If the the No. 2 contender is available, he has to fight the No. 3, if not, he will fight the next available contender and so on.”
Iginiit naman ni ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer na handa siyang makipag-usap sa kampo ni Diaz -- ang Golden Boy Promotions para sa laban.
“We are willing to go into that direction if that’s the path that we have to take,” sambit ni Aldeguer. “However, Mark has to win his fight this Saturday and we cannot overlook the Japanese fighter because like all Japanese fighters, Hayashi is very tough.”
