Rey Vargas vs. Mark Magsayo: Boxing Odds, Prediction

Mark Magsayo has held the crown since claiming a narrow majority decision win over Gary Russell Jr. earlier this year. The win improved Magsayo’s record to an unblemished 24-0. A former WBS super bantamweight champion, Rey Vargas was simply dominant in his featherweight debut last November. Vargas outclassed Leonardo Baez on his way to a 10-round unanimous decision win. With that victory, Vargas improved his record to a sparkling 35-0 and has seen each of his past seven contests go the distance.

With both these fighters bringing excellent credentials into the ring, Saturday night’s fight has evolved into a pick ‘em on the pro boxing odds, with Magsayo holding a slight edge as a -123 bet. Vargas closely trails at -118, with the odds of this contest ending in a draw pegged at +1000.

Rey Vargas vs. Mark Magsayo Betting Analysis

Saturday night’s championship main card is set to get underway at 9:00 p.m. ET at The Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The main event between vargas and Magsayo is expected to get underway at approximately 11:15 p.m. ET.

Magsayo has been regularly pegged as a betting favourite in recent contests, with odds as short as -3500. However, “Magnifico” found himself in unfamiliar territory in his last outing versus Russell, whom he defeated while listed as a +250 underdog.

Conversely, Vargas is poised to make a rare ring appearance while sporting positive odds. The 31-year-old rolled to victory in his featherweight debut as massive -2000 chalk. Vargas has sported average odds of -920 over his past nine fights.

Rey Vargas

Rust was not a problem for Vargas when he made his first ring appearance last November. The talented Mexican had endured a 29-month layoff due to injury that ultimately forced him to relinquish his WBC super bantamweight crown. However, he wasted no time establishing his dominance against an overmatched Baez, who was credited with just one total round won across the three judges’ scorecards.

With the victory, Vargas maintained a familiar approach. Sporting an impressive 70-inch reach, Vargas effectively kept Baez at bay while picking apart his outclassed opponent with jabs and sharp body blows. Indeed, it was a seamless transition to featherweight for the former 122-pound champion, who is renowned for his punching power, but who has evolved into a patient tactician as he has matured.

Mark Magsayo

Magnifico shocked observers with his upset victory over Russell to claim the WBC featherweight belt. The 27-year-old native of the Philippines enjoyed a successful year in 2021. Tallying a pair of knockout wins, capped by a 10th-round KO victory over Julio Ceja that earned him the WBO international featherweight title. However, few expected Magsayo to dominate in his date with Russell, who managed to land just 64 jabs on the night, and was out-landed by Magnifico by a wide 150-69 margin.

Indeed, Magsayo used height to his advantage and brought the fight to Russell throughout the contest. He also benefited from a shoulder injury suffered by Russell that effectively left him fighting a one-armed man. That injury should not diminish Magsayo’s win over the long-reigning champ. But Manny Pacquiao’s protégé is likely to face a much more ferocious challenge against a healthy Vargas. In fact, unless Magsayo is able to establish the rules of engagement early, and lure Vargas into a street fight, he will struggle to overcome the challenger’s height and reach advantages.

Prediction: Rey Vargas (-118); OVER 9.5 rounds