The rise of Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo to the ring stardom fueled further the initial dream of Tagbilaran to have its own astrodome.
Once the city government completes the basic infrastructure requirement, an astrodome follows.
City Mayor John Geesnell Yap vowed this as Tagbilaran has already proven to be in the ripening stage of becoming the sports capital of the province.
Yap explained that the city still needs to complete road improvement projects and ensure the establishment of a drainage system before embarking on an astrodome project.
“We still need to have our own infrastructures. We have to prioritize our roads first, drainage system, before we put up our own astrodome. So eventually, before my term ends we can have an astrodome,” Yap said during the pre-Pinoy Pride 43 fight press conference.
The mayor was referring to his perceived third term, if given a chance to be elected as mayor again in the next elections as he is now on his second term, as the timetable for the project.
The mayor added that being an athlete himself, support for athletes is one aspect that he injects in his administration.
Yap added that the hosting of Pinoy Pride 43 yesterday not only “showcased Tagbilaran but also the province of Bohol, to show how developed now is Tagbilaran and Bohol”.
He also explained that even without an astrodome at this time, Tagbilaran managed to provide a venue that is “good enough” for the event.
The mayor also thanked Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo for bringing the name of Tagbilaran and Bohol wherever he had gone in his past fights and wherever he would be in his future fights.
He also said that the city government markets Tagbilaran and Bohol, and one way is through sports.
“Magsayo inspires Boholanos. Just like how Manny Pacquiao inspired Magsayo, Magsayo also inspires other athletes, not only those from Bohol but also those from other places who had heard of him,” according to Yap.
The mayor thanked ALA Boxing Group, through its president and CEO, Michael Aldeguer, for bringing the ALA event to Tagbilaran City.
Magsayo defended his “WBO International Featherweight title for the third time”.
His win against Japan’s Shota Hayashi in last night’s Pinoy Pride 43 set his “journey to a world title fight”.
Magsayo regained the title in the 2016 fight against Chris Avalos, and had kept the title against Ramiro Robles and Daniel Diaz.
Experts also calculated that Magsayo showed potentials to climb to the top list of Filipino boxing heroes, but still has to prove it to promoters that he could survive more challenging match ahead.
Hayashi, on the other hand, made a mark in the boxing arena as a former Japanese Featherweight champion.
The 30-year-old former Japanese champ won the title in the September 2016 fight and only managed a single streak of defense and that was when he toppled former world champion, Akifumi Shimoda.
He slumped to a loss in April this year that marred his record with a third-round blow from Kosuke Saka.
The former Japanese champion took back the belt from Markquil Salvana.