[July 6, 2022] This Saturday, July 9, two absolute dominant fighters will go head to head for WBC gold. Inside The Alamodome in San Antonio, Mark Magsayo (24-0, 16 KOs) defends the WBC featherweight belt against Rey Vargas (35-0, 22 KOs).
Last Fight Record
Magsayo beat Gary Russell Jr. back in January via majority decision.
Vargas’ last bout was in November of last year when he took down Leonardo Baez via unanimous decision.
Magsayo vs. Vargas Betting Analysis
Mark Magsayo
Magsayo is coming off the most celebrated Filipino victory in quite a long time. His home country has been a huge support for him since that title win, and he will ride that momentum into this title defense.
His last performance was not impressive, considering he was fighting Russell, who only had one arm in the ring. I would have liked to see him finish that fight, but he stuck to his game plan and still came away with the victory.
He will be the thicker and stronger fighter in the ring on Saturday. Vargas is coming up from super bantamweight and will need to handle all the power that Magsayo possesses. If Magsayo is explosive and trusts his hands in the ring in San Antonio, it will be a tough thing to handle for Vargas.
Rey Vargas
Vargas will enjoy a height and reach advantage in the ring on Saturday and will hope to use his distance management to control the fight for 12 rounds. Vargas is an underrated skillful boxer, in my opinion. He has good movement, has fought better fighters than whom Magsayo has, and is great at taking away his opponent’s strengths.
He may not be the prettiest to watch, but he uses that unpredictability in his favor. It will be tough for Magsayo to try to get a good read on Vargas and find those clean shots.
Vargas has more of an elite resume and has had to outbox a lot of great fighters in his time. Becoming a multi-weight world champion will be a huge moment for Vargas and set up some big future fights.
When Vargas took time away from the ring to recover from a brutal leg injury, many worried about how he would be when he returned. He showed he might even be better now after his recovery, and he is still an elite boxer.
Updates
- Date: Saturday, July 9
- Time: 9 p.m. ET
- Main Event Time: 11:15 p.m. ET (approximately)
Magsayo vs. Vargas Betting Preview
This matchup is a pick ‘em, according to boxing odds. When betting on boxing, you usually run into some massive favorites and underdogs, and it is tough to find value in a lot of picks. This fight is such a toss-up. It challenges the bettor to predict the outcome.
To break down this matchup, we need to look at recent performances. The more impressive fighter has been Vargas, in my opinion.
He recovered from a bad injury and looked great. He has outboxed many elite fighters over 12 rounds and is only improving.
Magsayo is a very explosive puncher with knockout power. Even with an opponent like Vargas, Magsayo will only need to land one clean shot, and the fight sways heavily in his favor. He undoubtedly has the power to put Vargas’ lights out, which is what makes this fight so exciting to tune in for.
Technically speaking, Magsayo has the most holes in his game. He doesn’t set up his big shots well, and his last performance is problematic. But, as I said before, his power and explosiveness put him at risk for Vargas for all 12 rounds on Saturday.
He is a tough night in the ring for anybody if he lets his hands go. Vargas is the more skillful boxer and has shown that for years now. He is unpredictable, has great movement, is clever in his attacks, and has great experience that can carry him through tough situations in the ring.
Magsayo vs. Vargas Betting Prediction
Since this one has pick ‘em boxing betting odds, you will have to compare the two fighters in their most recent performances.
I believe that Vargas will be the better boxer in the ring and will be able to come away with a decision victory over 12 rounds. He will control distance with his reach, cleverly move around the ring, and avoid the big shots from Magsayo.
Betting on boxing is a blast with these kinds of great matchups being made. This is the kind of event that makes the sport better and gives the fans the fights they want to see. You will see who is deserving of WBC featherweight gold when this one is over, and that is all anyone can ask.
Watch out for a big power shot landing flush from Magsayo, but I just see Vargas being able to weather the storm early and then dictating the fight in the later rounds.
Final Prediction: Vargas wins by decision +155.
How To Bet On Magsayo vs. Vargas
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