Pacquiao predicts action-filled bout with Matthysse
Print Edition
Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao said yesterday he is prepared for an action-packed fight against aggressive Argentinian Lucas Matthysse in Sunday鈥檚 world title bout that could put his illustrious career at stake.
Pacquiao, who turns 40 in December, returns to the ring a year after losing his World Boxing Organization welterweight title in a shock defeat to Australia鈥檚 Jeff Horn in Brisbane.
Pacquiao said he chose to fight Matthysse, the current World Boxing Association welterweight champion, because the Argentinian is aggressive and they could both provide 鈥渁 lot of action鈥 in the ring.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a good fight,鈥 Pacquiao said at a news conference in Kuala Lumpur. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 care if he has 36 knockouts...it鈥檚 about your talent and skill inside the ring. Let鈥檚 see on Sunday who will be the best.鈥
鈥淧acman鈥 Pacquiao, 39, has won 59 times, including 38 by knockout, and lost seven times (three by KO) along with two draws. Matthysse, 35, has 39 wins 鈥 36 by KO 鈥 and four losses, one of them by KO.
It will be the first time since 2001 that Pacquiao is fighting without longtime trainer Freddie Roach, who was dropped in the run-up to the Malaysian fight and replaced with former assistant coach and friend Buboy Fernandez.
Matthysse told the news conference he is determined to defend his title and isn鈥檛 concerned that it could end Pacquiao鈥檚 career if the Filipino loses. He said it has been his dream since young to fight Pacquiao, an 11-time world champion across eight divisions.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a great champion but he hasn鈥檛 faced the 鈥榞reat machine鈥, Lucas Matthysse,鈥 he said, referring to his moniker. 鈥淚f he decides to retire, that鈥檚 his decision. I鈥檓 here to defend my title.鈥
Matthysse may be the underdog but his trainer Joel Diaz said 鈥渘othing is impossible鈥.
Matthysse 鈥渋s not here to collect a pay check. He is here to bring back his title to his country and his people鈥, Diaz said.
With both boxers beyond their prime, Diaz has previously predicted a 鈥50/50鈥 chance of winning for either but he said he believed Matthysse is more focused while Pacquiao has other distractions outside boxing that could be disadvantage him.
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