BY WAYLON GALVEZ
The much-awaited debut of Filipino boxer Mark Magsayo with MP Promotions is scheduled October 3 but against a different opponent after Magsayo’s original foe, American Jose Haro, opted to retire.
Reports circulated that the 33-year-old Haro cited “family matters” as the main reason for his decision.
“My kids don’t want (me) to fight anymore. It breaks my heart to say this but I’m retiring from boxing. I have too many kids to keep putting my life on the line every time I step in the ring.” Haro told Powcast Sports.
“Once they switch the date for the fight that’s when I decide it’s best for me to walk away.
“I would like to apologize to all the Filipino people. I wanted to give them a great fight. Just my heart is not in it anymore.”
Haro’s wife Selenia is expecting a seventh child in November.
The 33-year-old fighter, who has a record of 15-1-1, was to face the unbeaten Magsayo (20-0, 14 knockouts) in a 10-round encounter at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
The fight was originally set September 23, but organizers moved it to October 3 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Haro took the rescheduling of their fight as a sign to retire, with the thought of getting hurt like what happened to his opponent Daniel Franco, whom he knocked out in the 8th round with a solid right a few years ago, still in his mind.
Franco did recover after slipping into coma and undergoing surgery, but he never stepped into the ring after that experience. As for Haro, his last fight was when he scored a unanimous victory opposite Genaro Velarde Rodriguez in February 2019.
MP (Manny Pacquiao) Promotions president Sean Gibbons said that the October 3 fight will push through and that they are now looking for a replacement fighter to face Magsayo.
