Lucas Matthysse will look to defend the WBA Regular Title against Manny Pacquiao on Saturday!
Fight week is finally upon us! For Pacquiao, this is his 69th one! That’s a lot, we know.
A surefire hall of famer, he is at a true crossroads in his career. A very dangerous fight lurks ahead at retirement age (as it pertains to boxing) against a fighter known for his explosive power.
Pacquiao (38), will be fighting for the first time since losing his WBO welterweight title against Jeff Horn – a decision loss that didn’t sit well with many boxing fans around the world. He has a chance to redeem himself by taking out Matthysse and becoming a world champion again.
For him to do that, he’s going to have to be the “explosive Pacquiao” that we grew accustomed to watching. He can’t be reluctant and passive aggressive like he’s been recently. He needs to use his crazy angles, superior footwork, and the combination of lightning fast hands and power to get the job done.
Matthysse has long aspired for a fight with Manny and now that he has it, he’s not planning to squander the opportunity. He knows he’s at a disadvantage when it comes to pure skills and athleticism. However, slanted in his favor is the big punching power, Pacquiao’s age and the fact that his opponent has been knocked out previously.
Matthysse will need to establish his jab and find the range for his right hand. He also needs to be able to time Pacquiao while setting traps. This will allow him to catch his opponent coming in like Juan Manuel Marquez did back in 2012. We can all remember what the result was after that!
While this is truly a toss up fight, there is a strong possibility the champion will be too strong for the older challenger.
Pacquiao-Matthysse will be live exclusively on the ESPN+ app at 9:00 P.M. eastern time.
By: Jerrell Fletcher
