Mexico’s Rey Vargas won the World Boxing Council’s featherweight title on Saturday, taking a split decision over Filipino star Mark Magsayo in an undefeated fight.
Two judges scored the bout 115-112 for Vargas, while a third saw Magsayo win 114-113 in the showdown at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
“It was a great fight,” Vargas said. “I can’t put into words what happened. I’m so proud. This is my second title. It will go back to Mexico with me.”
Vargas, a former WBC super bantamweight champion, went 36-0 to win the 126-pound title.
Magsyo won the title with a majority decision over American Gary Russell Jr. in January, but fell 24-1.
“He’s the man of the day. That’s all,” Magsyo said. “I’ll get stronger and I did my best. A little rest and I will train to fight again. I’ll correct my mistakes in the next fight.”
Vargas said his next fight could be against fellow World Boxing Association featherweight champion Leo Santa Cruz.
“It’s been discussed,” Vargas said.
Magsayo knocked Vargas down late in the ninth round, landing a direct shot to the head that dropped the Mexican to his knees.
“It wasn’t that effective, but it was important,” Vargas said. “He got me in there. He put me with the guy.
“I had been in control the whole fight, but in the ninth when he got me, I lost a little bit of control.”
After suffering his fourth career knockdown, Vargas had to stop Magsayo at the end of the ninth and throughout the 10th round
“It was a straight punch,” said Magsyo, who complained that Vargas “was running around the ring too much.
Magsyo, 27, and Vargas, 31, exchanged a series of punches from the opening bell, with intense toe-to-toe exchanges setting the tone for round after round.
The champion tagged Vargas with a left hook in the fourth round, but the challenger responded with a flurry of left jabs and right hands.
Vargas used his excellent reach and jab to set up uppercuts and body shots in the fifth round, but was tagged on the chin by Magsayo on the inside.
In the seventh round, Vargas had a clash of heads over his left eye, but the Mexican was more active than Magsayo in terms of boxing, movement and footwork, and cutting in was never a factor.
“I’ve had cuts before,” Vargas said. “It was a headbutt. Everything was controlled in the corner.”