Assuming he gets through tonight’s WBC 140lb title fight in California against Ukrainian, Viktor Postol, then Argentinian “Machine,” Lucas Matthysse, says that he would “love” the opportunity to fight Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao in the near future.
Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum is looking at securing a date for his returning fighter in the early part of 2016, and had thought to be in sole negotiations with Britain’s Amir Khan about a potential big money clash.
It later emerged that Arum had a change of heart regarding Khan, who while being advised by Al Haymon, was not negotiating through the PBC brainchild, but rather through his family, lawyer and own promotional company, so how much the “Haymon connection” had to do with Arum’s u-turn is open to debate.
Matthysse is promoted by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, who along with Arum have filed a huge lawsuit against Haymon in the US, and on the face of things, politically perhaps, Matthysse/Pacquiao is at least the ‘easier’ fight to make for Arum and Top Rank.
Speaking via translator to behindthegloves.com, Matthysse was cautiously optimistic regarding a Pacquiao fight, saying that he won’t be looking past the dangerous Postol, but is receptive to the idea for the future.
“First things first, it’s Saturday night. Since I have been here [in the US], I have been hearing about it [Pacquiao] more and more,” he said.
“Yes, of course, that is a fight that I would love to have and because of styles, we both come forward, we both come to excite, we both come to perform and give a good fight, that’s a fight that I would love to have in the future. Definitely.”
Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer may have something to say about that however, given he corners Postol for tonight’s clash and is promising the tall and rangy Ukrainian has the goods to stop Matthysse late, despite him possessing a modest KO% ratio of 41%.
“That won’t be a problem,” Matthysse said regarding Roach’s comments. “I am going to knock him [Postol] out first.”
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