Manny Pacquiao Next Fight: Lucas Matthysse Must Win Against Viktor Postol To Get Shot Against 'Pacman'
Lucas Matthysse will have to do his best to win over Viktor Postol to not just get the vacant World Boxing Council light welterweight crown but also to have a shot against Filipino boxing icon Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao.
Golden Boy Promotions head Oscar De La Hoya, who promotes Matthysse, said that his fighter will need an impressive win this Saturday, Oct. 3, at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., for a greater chance to face the first and only eight-division world champion, Boxing News 24 reported.
"We feel that Lucas Matthysse must come out aggressive, he must come out strong, and he must impress in order to get the Manny Pacquiao fight," De La Hoya said.
The trainer observed that Matthysse (WBC number 2) is in "great shape" for his coming fight, but so is Postol (WBC number 1), who is also fortunate enough to be under the tutelage of world-class trainer Freddie Roach.
If ever Matthysse lands a match with "Pacman" early next year, that Pacquiao vs. Matthysse bout is something fans should not miss.
"It has excitement all over it [Matthysse vs. Pacquiao]. It's two Mack trucks coming together. Manny Pacquiao's style and Lucas Matthysse's style calls for another fight of the year," De La Hoya said.
Team Pacquiao still undecided
It seems that the 36-year-old boxer's camp is not yet decided whom "Pacman" should face in his comeback, after recovering fully from a shoulder injury sustained while training for his May 2 fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Las Vegas Review-Journal informed that Top Rank CEO Bob Arum, who promotes the Filipino warrior, picks WBC Silver welterweight titlist Amir Khan as his top choice, followed by International Boxing Federation welterweight titleholder Kell Brook or Matthysse.
However, veteran trainer Roach wants his fighter's Mexican arch-enemy Juan Manuel "Dinamita" Marquez to be the next opponent, per Boxing Scene. Roach shared to ESNews that Matthysse is not actually in the mix of potential foes. Aside from Marquez, the trainer named British boxers Brook and Khan as the ones being considered.
Recently, Arum clarified that Khan, who is already anticipating a showdown with his friend and old sparring partner at the Wild Card Gym, per News Day, is not actually the frontrunner among these contenders, a separate Boxing Scene article noted. The 83-year-old promoter is really eyeing Matthysse, who triumphed via a majority decision in April against Ruslan Provodnikov in New York, per BoxRec.
Yet, even the Argentine's spot is not yet guaranteed, all he has to do is focus on a victory against Postol to hit two birds with one stone, so to speak.
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