There were fouls, multiple point deductions, and knockdowns. But for featherweight Jessie Magdaleno, the win is all that mattered. Magdaleno prevailed over Yenifel Vicente via disqualification in the Top Rank on ESPN main event Thursday evening from the MGM Grand Conference Center — Grand Ballroom in Las Vegas.
Magdaleno scored knockdowns in the first and fifth rounds, while Vicente had three points taken away for low blows in the fourth and another one in the 10th. At 1:38 of the 10th, referee Robert Byrd disqualified Vicente due to repeated low blows.
“He was a rugged fighter,” Magdaleno said. “He was a tough veteran. I tip my hat off to him. He knew what he was doing. His way was to get me low,”
Magdaleno (28-1, 18 KOs) has won three in a row since losing his junior featherweight world title in April 2018.
The 28-year-old Magdaleno now sets his sights on a bigger fight. Magdaleno is now the number one ranked contender for the WBC 126-pound title held by Gary Russell Jr.; he is also ranked fourth by the WBO, whose 126-pound title is held by Shakur Stevenson. After his win over Vicente, Magdaleno had a warning for Russell.
“Gary Russell, I’m coming for you,” he said. “But like I’ve said before, I want any of the champions at 126 pounds. I want to be a two-division world champion. Simple as that.”
Russell is a very skilled fighter and a guy that Magdaleno would have a tough time defeating. The fight probably does not happen because of promotional issues(Russell with PBC; Magdaleno with Top Rank), and it might not happen because Russell could move up to 130 to get a bigger fight with Leo Santa Cruz or Tank Davis.
Regardless of what happens, Magdaleno has put himself in a position to capture another title.
