PACQUIAO LAUDS MATTHYSSE’S DECISION TO RETIRE
WORLD Boxing Association welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao commended Lucas Matthysse’s decision to retire. Pacquiao issued the statement after the Argentine boxer whom he beat through a seventh round technical knockout last July 15 in Malaysia, announced his retirement in his native language via his official Instagram account on Thursday.
“That’s okay. He ( Matthysse) really earned a lot financially in his last fight. He should be proud of his boxing career and he has a good record,” Pacquiao ( 60- 7- 2 winlossdraw record with 39 knockouts) told TheManila
Times in Filipino during a phone interview.
“It was a great pleasure to fight somebody like him from Argentina. My favorite football team is Argentina.”
“He just made the right decision if he feels that way or he doesn’t like to box anymore. At the same time, he’s the one who will decide it if he’s going to continue,” added Pacquiao.
Matthysse retired with a 39- 5 win- loss record with 36 knockouts.
Meanwhile, international matchmaker Sean Gibbons also has nothing but praise for the Argentine pug.
“I would say Lucas Matthysse had a great career when he came back and won his first legit WBA world title,” said Gibbons in a separate interview, referring to Matthysse' knockout win against Tewa Kiram of Thailand last January 27.
“At 35, it rejuvenated him. And going against Senator Pacquiao, he was rejuvenating. But after being devastated by Pacquiao, he just realized that he didn’t have it anymore. He left the boxing fans with a lot of memorable fights. He has a fight of the year with John Molina. He left the Matthysse name with a good legacy.”
JOSEF T. RAMOS