The long time boxing veteran and phenom Manny Pacquiao will jump in the ring and take on Argentinian Lucas Matthysse on July 14th from Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. According to Eric Gomez of Golden Boy Promotions, this is like a dream come true for fighter Lucas Matthysse, who is very eager to start this fight. Matthysse is hoping to claim victory through his punching prowess and being aggressive in the ring.
All of us are well familiar that Manny Pacquiao is a great fighter, true legend, and hometown hero in the Philippines. Many folks have questioned (including myself) Pacquiao’s focus and his ability to dial in completely on this fight. Manny is juggling a lot of different responsibilities currently, including being a congressman in the Philippines and pursuing other business ventures. Matthysse will not be an easy fight, and hopefully for Manny’s sake he’ll be ready.
Pacquiao certainly believes he has what it takes to win this fight. This will be his first fight since July of 2017, in which he lost to Jeff Horn in a very controversial decision match. Pacquiao doesn’t seem to have the same punching power and quickness that he once displayed consistently, but overall he’s still a good and dangerous fighter. He still has excellent footwork and some speed, which allows him to increase the distance between him and his opponents while also closing in with some ferocious punching power.
He can land some vicious combinations on any boxing opponent once he gets within his range of striking, and keep in mind that he still has great stamina in the ring despite his age. Pacquiao’s offense is his best form of defense by closing in on his competition and landing combinations and power punches. Once his attack has inflicted some damage to the opposition and they try and recover, he’s already maneuvered and distanced himself out of their striking range.
Argentinian Lucas Matthysse shouldn’t be taken lightly either. He has a great overhand right and straight right hand as well. His timing for either one of those punches seems to be on point, particularly vs Southpaws. Despite him having a strong left hook, he often throws it which leaves him off balance and vulnerable. He likes to throw the right hand to the body and then follow that up with a left hook to the head once he finds an opening. Despite him having an aggressive fighting style, he typically avoids getting hit cleanly due to his ability to absorb body shots on his elbows and head hooks on his gloves.
Matthysse will also cut off the ring while frustrating and breaking down his competition. There’s been some talk in the boxing forum that this may be Pacquiao’s last fight, and if it is, it’s the end of a very established and storied career. With all that being said and what’s at stake, I believe the Filipino Pacquiao will win this fight, but it won’t be easy. Don’t be surprised if these two go the distance in in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.