For Manny Pacquiao’s millions of die-hard fans, it is easy to dismiss Matthysse as just another one of his next victims.
Can’t blame them. Pacquiao’s prominent ring record speaks for himself.
FYI, I recently reviewed Manny’s “failed” engagement against Floyd Mayweather on YouTube and for the nth time, I am far more convinced that Pacquiao did not lose the fight nor Mayweather won it.
In my personal scoring, it was a draw.
I am just reminiscing because had the Pambansang Kamao prepared and trained the way he fought Mayweather with the ferocity of a hungry lion, the good senator from Sarangani would not have lost to Jeff Horn. Horn would not have survived Manny’s onslaught versus Floyd at that time.
Lucas Martin Matthysse is not a push-over. He has fought the best in his division in the likes of Americans Zab Judah, Devon Alexander, Robert Garcia and Ukranian Victor Postol, champions all, and gave them hell.
He last fought in January 2018, knocking out Thai Tewa Kiram, Manny’s sparring partner, to take the vacant WBA welterweight belt.
Matthysse now totes a professional record of 44 fights, 39 wins with 36 KOs, only 4 losses and 1 no contest.
Nicknamed La Maquina (The Machine), the 35-year old Argentine pug works literally like a well-oiled engine. Imagine a young Roberto Duran (who upset a highly favored Sugar Ray Leonard and then retired in the return bout saying the now popular words “no mas, no mas”) and you’ll get what I mean.
Therefore, let us not sing hosannas this early nor peal the bells.
Our hero has not had a fight since the Horn loss.
A year of inactivity may allow rust to usually settle in.
Besides, as senator of the republic, he focused much of his mind on the legislative work before him to fulfill an election promise to the Filipino people.
It is well and good that Pacquiao has varied sports activities. He regularly plays basketball to exercise his legs, arms and other muscles, chess to sharpen his analytic thinking, runs and swims, too.
Who among renowned athletes do what Pacquiao does?
I have seen several of Matthysse’s fights on films.
An orthodox fighter, he has a powerful right that could KO an opponent with one punch. He unleashes deadly combinations of 4 to 6 punches – jabs, right straights, hooks and uppercuts.
He can give as well as he can take.
Against the highly acclaimed WBC welterweight titlist Roberto Garcia, Matthysse stood toe to toe and nearly took the lights out of his foe.
Matthysse’s Achilles heel could be that he does not retreat even when he needed to. When hit hard, he retaliates, hoping to land his big right.
Yeah, he comes in like a raging bull, stubbornly decided to score a kill regardless of the consequences.
In the amateurs, he fought Marcos Maidana (who beat Erik “El Terrible” Morales, fought and lost to Mayweather twice) four times, lost thrice consecutively and merely drew the fourth.
I observed that La Maquina seems to have a difficult time tangling with left-handers. His defeat to Zab Judah (already 35 years old in 2010) by split decision indicated this.
Manny’s southpaw stance, quick hands and lateral movements will give Matthysse a big headache.
Born on September 27, 1982, Matthysse possesses a big heart like the legendary King Richard. With a 69-inch reach, the defending champion is as tall as the man adjudged by the Boxing Writers Association of America as “Fighter of the Decade” in 2000.
Although oddsmakers pick Manny as the favorite, I would grant Matthysse a 50-50 chance. I did not give Horn that but look what happened. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) Mark 3:5: “Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
