Brandon Figueroa moved a step closer to a world title shot, as he claimed the interim WBC featherweight title with a points win over Mark Magsayo at the Toyota Arena in Ontario.
Magsayo was coming off a split decision loss for the full title against Rey Vargas last July, where he had the Mexican on the floor, while Figueroa stopped Carlos Castro in six on the same bill in Texas.
Figueroa (24-1-1, KO18) took the opener in this one, switching stances and and landing a nice left hand. The pair traded heavy shots in the second, and the third saw some decent combination work find a home for Figueroa. Magsayo (24-2, KO16) enjoyed solid fourth and fifth frames, but Figueroa started to crank the pressure up at the halfway mar, stunning Magsayo with a couple of heavy blows in the sixth. Magsayo was beginning to unravel, and was docked a point for holding in the eighth, and he also looked hurt to the body a round later.
.@BrandonLeeFig returns serve with a nice double left to close out the 3rd#FigueroaMagsayo is picking up heat ๐ฅ pic.twitter.com/VXLmD5zazV
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) March 5, 2023
โก๏ธ Wow what a combo! โก๏ธ@markmagsayo_MMM showing off electrifying speed in round 8๏ธโฃ#FigueroaMagsayo pic.twitter.com/LJaDKDkC1D
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) March 5, 2023
The tenth saw more hurtful damage to the body of Magsayo, and he did well to stay on his feet, but he lost a point again in the penultimate frame for excessive holding. Magsayo was severely tired going into the last, and he possibly shaded it, but the result looked academic as the contest went to the cards.
Figueroa was declared the winner by scores of 118-108, and 117-109 (twice).
๐ THE HEARTBREAKER ON ๐ ๐@BrandonLeeFig defeats Magsayo by unanimous decision to claim the interim WBC 126-pound title ๐#FigueroaMagsayo pic.twitter.com/tnMX38D8yg
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) March 5, 2023
Former unified super welterweight world champion Jarrett Hurd (24-3, KO16) returned after a near two year absence, but was upset over ten rounds against Jose Armando Resendiz (14-1 KO10). Hurd was well behind on the cards when the fight was halted in the final round, with a severe cut causing the early conclusion, and a stoppage win declared for the Mexican underdog.
Catching our breath after that all-out slugfest! ๐ฎโ๐จ
Armando Resรฉndiz threw 780 punches en route to a 10th-round TKO over Hurd#FigueroaMagsayo is NEXT on @Showtime #HurdResendiz pic.twitter.com/3Jl4tRrPmP
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) March 5, 2023
Terrell Gausha (23-3-1, KO12) returned from defeat to Tim Tszyu in his last fight, and he knocked Brandyn Lynch (12-2-1, KO9) three times on the way to a ninth round win at super welterweight.
IT'S OVER!@TerrellGausha scores three quick knockdowns of Lynch en route to a 9th-round TKO ๐ค#GaushaLynch | #FigueroaMagsayo pic.twitter.com/5HgxLZpMVz
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) March 5, 2023
In a battle of unbeatens, Elijah Lorenzo Garcia (14-0, KO12) came out on top, as he won his middleweight clash with Amilcar Vidal Jr (16-1, KO12) via fourth round stoppage.
GARCIA FINISHES VIDAL ๐ฑ@Elijah3EGarcia picks up his 14th-straight win with a blistering 4th-round KO of Vidal ๐ฅ#VidalGarcia | #FigueroaMagsayo pic.twitter.com/MwKw9sbCpu
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) March 5, 2023
In eight round action, Samuel Teah (19-4-1, KO8) knocked down Enriko Gogokhia (13-1-2, KO8) in the opener on the way to a points win at super lightweight, and at welterweight, Travon Marshall (8-0, KO7) took care of Justin DeLoach (19-6, KO10) in the third round.
WOW! WHAT A CRACK! ๐ฑ
Unbeaten Travon Marshall scores the thunderous third-round KO over Deloach Dock โก๏ธ
Tune into the #FigueroaMagsayo Prelims LIVE: https://t.co/P0yALPP9Tu#MarshallDeloachDock pic.twitter.com/1JbOuqHffn
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) March 5, 2023
Could Samuel Teah's first-round knockdown be the difference our eight-round prelims opener? ๐ค
Tune into the #FigueroaMagsayo Prelims LIVE: https://t.co/P0yALPP9Tu#GogokhiaTeah pic.twitter.com/Ke8nuI1Km2
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) March 4, 2023
In six round affairs, Miguel Angel Hernandez (7-0, KO6) had to get off the deck to take a decision against Dario Guerrero-Meneses (1-4-1, KO0) at middleweight, and at featherweight, Albert Gonzalez (4-0, KO2) scored a second round stoppage against Joseph Cruz Brown (3-6, KO1). Anthony Cuba (5-0-2, KO3) won every round of his lightweight contest with Darel Harris (7-21-2, KO5).
The sole four rounder came at super middleweight, where Daniel Blancas (5-0, KO3) took out Kynndale Prather (3-16, KO1) inside a round.