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Las Vegas’ Magdaleno wants to punish Dogboe for foul comments

Insults are encouraged in boxing to promote a fight, but there’s a line, and Isaac Dogboe and his father, Paul, crossed it.

For Jessie Magdaleno, they more than crossed it. They attacked his family and culture, and the Las Vegan wants to make the Dogboes pay for their remarks.

Magdaleno (25-0, 18 knockouts) will return to the ring Saturday after a one-year hiatus to defend his WBO junior featherweight belt against Isaac Dogboe (18-0, 12 KOs) in a ESPN-televised main event at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia. The broadcast will begin at 4 p.m.

Here are Paul Dogboe’s controversial remarks from last month: “We hope Magdaleno will not run like a chicken, we hope he makes the weight and comes in with no excuses, because we are ready for him. We are ready to eat him like a chicken. We are focused and our only mission is to devour him, eat the crazy chicken, throw him over the wall of Mexico and present the title to Donald Trump. Magdaleno will run when he sees Isaac.”

Dogboe’s father has since apologized for his comments. The father-son team is from Ghana.

Magdaleno, 26, who comes from a family of Mexican immigrants, isn’t ready to forgive.

“It was kind of foul for them to say that,” Magdaleno said. “I lost all my respect for (Isaac Dogboe), even though I respect all my opponents. I lost respect for him and I’m going to make him pay for it.

“You don’t go to the racist side in boxing, especially when you have fighters from all over the world. I’m ready to take his head off.”

Magdaleno, a southpaw, has been dealing with a left hand injury since taking the belt from Nonito Donaire at the Thomas & Mack Center in November of 2016. He re-injured his hand against Adeilson Dos Santos last April.

“I’ve been itching to get back for a while,” Magdaleno said. “I didn’t need surgery. Just rest and therapy. The hand has been feeling great. We’ve been letting it go and putting power behind it during sparring.”

Eighteen of Magdaleno’s 25 professional fights have taken place in Las Vegas. This will be the first time Magdaleno fights on the East Coast.

Magdaleno is a minus 260 favorite and Dogboe is a plus 210 underdog, according to the Westgate Superbook.

Vargas wants rematch

Jessie Vargas made an apperance Thursday, and from looking at his face, you couldn’t tell he was in a 12-round brawl the week prior.

Vargas, with a bump over his left eye, said he wanted the rematch with Adrien Broner to happen in his hometown of Las Vegas. Vargas and Broner fought to a majority draw last week in New York in one of the best fights of 2018.

“The first six rounds I took him easy,” Vargas said. “I figured we’ll give the fans a little more of a brawl and I came in to fight. … I’m not happy with a draw but things happen and the fans know who won.”

Jack vs. Stevenson

Badou Jack called his May 19 bout in Toronto against WBC light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson the biggest fight of his career.

Jack, a Las Vegas resident from Sweden, is a plus 140 underdog and Stevenson is a minus 160 favorite at William Hill sports books.

“I’m preparing myself for the best Adonis Stevenson,” Jack said. “If he’s 40 about to be 41, if he’s inactive, I don’t think about that. I think about the most dangerous Adonis Stevenson I could fight.”

Jacobs returns

Former middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs will face Maciej Sulecki for an HBO-televised main event on Saturday. In the co-main event, heavyweight contender Jarrell Miller goes up against Johann Duhaupas. The card airs at 7 p.m.

More boxing: Follow all of our boxing coverage online at reviewjournal.com/boxing and @RJ_Sports on Twitter.

Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GManzano24 on Twitter.

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