Magsayo arrives in US to continue training with Roach

FILE — Mark Magsayo (left) and his opponent, ex-world title challenger Daniel Diaz of Nicaragua, face spectators during the weigh-in event of Pinoy Pride 4 at the SM City Cebu event center. (CDN PHOTO/ LITO TECSON)

MANILA, Philippines—Undefeated Filipino featherweight Mark Magsayo arrived in the United States Thursday to continue his training with Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach at Wild Card Boxing Gym in Los Angeles.

In a report from RingTv.com, Magsayo and his wife Frances went through a tough process to just get out of the Philippines due to the COVID-19 pandemic and that a guarantee letter from MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons allowed them to board their plane.

The couple flew to Los Angeles via Korean Air.

Frances said that they would get tested for COVID-19 at the earliest opportunity as courtesy to Roach and the other training staff.

“I am so very grateful that I am going back to training with coach Freddie because I enjoy training with him and I am learning a lot every time,” said Magsayo (20-0, 14 knockouts).

Magsayo briefly trained with Roach in January and the two decided to make it a permanent arrangement after sensing enough chemistry between them.

According to The Ring, Gibbons has yet to schedule a fight for Magsayo but they’re in “the calendar for September or October.”

MP Promotions, which Manny Pacquiao leads, signed Magsayo in March and has an arrangement with Premier Boxing Champions to place fights on its cards.

Gibbons said that even though Magsayo won’t fight immediately, the purpose of bringing him to the United States is to get him acclimated better with Roach and prepare him for an eventual World title fight.

“The purpose was to get Mark here to get him adapted to working with Freddie Roach, to really start finally getting that break,” said Gibbons.

“With his type of record, I could see him fighting for a world title within four fights.”

Magsayo hasn’t held a World title in his career and his highest career achievement was winning the WBO International featherweight championship in 2016.

His last fight was in August of 2019 taking a unanimous decision win over Thailand’s Panya Uthok, a former WBO World bantamweight champion.

Magsayo is rated no. 5 in the WBC, no. 4 in the IBF, and no. 11 with the WBA.