PACQUIAO vs MATTHYSSE
Pacquiao appears in ne fettle at 39 but the poor performance of Matthysse is alarming, writes Matt Christie
“Pac Man” rolls back the years to score his first stoppage since 2009
‘YOU WIN SOME AND YOU LOSE SOME AND I LOST TO A GREAT LEGEND’
GREAT fighters often turn in one final performance that reminds everyone just how special they are. A performance weaved with so much nostalgia, it threatens to pull the wool over fans’ eyes in regard to their hero’s future in the sport.
Muhammad Ali did it against Leon Spinks in 1978, Roberto Duran rolled back the years to stun Iran Barkley in 1989, Bernard Hopkins bewitched Beibut Shumenov as recently as 2014, and Manny Pacquiao – arguably the greatest fighter of the current era – may have had his final glorious moment against Lucas Matthysse, when he halted the Argentinian in seven rounds to notch his first stoppage win since 2009.
After 23 long years of giving and taking punches as a professional prizefighter, the 39-year-old’s showing against Matthysse was superb, at least when measured against the efforts of normal 39-year-olds. Yet, and at risk of upsetting the legions of “Pac Man” supporters, some perspective is also required.
While Pacquiao has experienced a steady decline over the last decade, and we have to be honest about that, the form of the ageing Matthysse is in comparative freefall. The version of Matthysse who the Filipino thrashed in Kuala Lumpur’s Axiata Arena is far
removed from the seek-and-destroy slugger who battered Humberto Soto and Lamont Peterson in 2012 and 2013 respectively. Nor is he the same fighter who outlasted John Molina in 2014 and edged Ruslan Provodnikov a year later.
This was not even the Matthysse who was thumped into defeat by Viktor Postol three years ago. Matthysse, after all, is only human. While Pacquiao’s showing at the age of 39 defies all logic, Matthysse is experiencing what most 35-year-olds experience. His reactions are a shade slower, his punches more deliberate, his feet a tad clumsier and his resistance has been bent and bruised by a punishing career.
But that should not detract, at least not too much, from the effort of Pacquiao. Without long-time coach Freddie Roach, and coming back one year after a humbling loss to Jeff Horn, many suspected that even the 2018 model of Matthysse would be too much for a fighter who began his career as long ago as 1995 as a paltry 106-pounder.
But in truth, while talk beforehand centred around what Pacquiao had left, it is Matthysse – perhaps flattered by a January victory over Tewa Kiram in January – who should seriously consider his future in this barbaric business.
Even so, it was good to see Pacquiao do his thing. Exhibiting his signature speed, albeit not quite at the breakneck levels of old, the Filipino zip and zapped inside and out to befuddle the clunky Matthysse from the outset.
“Fighting Manny Pacquiao [is the most difficult part about fighting Pacquiao],” explained Matthysse afterwards. “He’s a great fighter. He’s a great champion. You win some, and you lose some. Today was my turn to lose, but I lost to a great fighter and a great legend in Manny Pacquiao.”
In the third round the old master darted towards Matthysse’s body, and threw a right hand that acted as the perfect disguise for what was to follow. A left uppercut landed on his rival’s chin with a clunk, shunted his head upwards, and sent his entire body sprawling to the mat.
A better fourth from Matthysse gave him some hope before Manny turned the screw again in the late in the fifth. A series of jabs had Matthysse tottering before what looked like a slashing right hook forced him down. Like the first knockdown, the punches that caused the fall did not appear devastating.
Pacquaio, doing as he pleased but busying himself by hacking his opponent’s body in the sixth, ramped up the pressure with rat-a-tats to the head in the next.
³ Then the left uppercut came out to play again and Matthysse, unable to repel the southpaw’s attacks, collapsed again. Realising his quest was futile he spat out his gumshield and referee Kenny Bayless signalled it was all over at 2-43 of the seventh round.
“I was surprised because Matthysse is a very tough opponent and I knocked him down,” said the winner. “So that’s a bonus from being focused and patient in the fight and working hard in training camp. We [my team] did a good job in training. We controlled ourselves during training. It was a heavy training. Thanks to all my team for working hard for this fight”
It was a solid showing and, while not exactly the Pacquiao of old, it served as a reminder that even the old Pacquiao is one of the best boxers around today.
Problem is, of course, he cannot defy time forever. No one can. And while Matthysse was both disappointing and tailor-made for the highly educated brilliance of Pacquiao, there are younger assassins around capable of making Manny look his age. Both Vasyl Lomachenko and Terence Crawford have been mentioned as potential opponents for the seven-weight titlist, and a showdown with either would be marketed as a superfight of the ages.
In the build-up we would be reminded of Pacquiao at his best, told over and over again that his opponent has never fought anyone like him. But Pacquiao will realise, as Ali discovered against Larry Holmes, as Duran recognised against Sugar Ray Leonard and as Sergey Kovalev proved to Hopkins, that boxing is a young man’s game.
Perhaps he won’t go down that route. He now has one of those WBA secondary straps he can defend without fighting threatening opposition. He now promotes himself, with ties to Top Rank minimal. Either way, his next steps, if he chooses to make them, and he more than likely will, should be made like these were, with an appreciation of his age and newfound limitations.
For now, let us appreciate Manny Pacquiao too. A man who has made a career out of thrilling his fans and defying the odds. Out of rising in weight and taking on the best rivals available to him. Out of sumptuous skill and dazzling speed.
So appreciate every moment, every smile and every frenzied attack. Because this modern great will not be around for much longer. And we may never see his kind again.
Another bogus WBA strap was up for grabs on the undercard as China’s Bin Lu made an audacious leap up in class in just his second professional bout to challenge Venezuala’s classy Carlos Canizales. Hekkie Budler is the real WBA lightflyweight champion by the way, but both combatants fought like a real world title was on the line.
In years to come the 23-year-old may regret taking on such a task so soon, however. While he started brightly enough, Canizales was in control by the third, with the pressure rising with each passing round. By the ninth, 10th and 11th, the head of the 2016 Olympian was regularly being volleyed backwards and, considering the challenger’s age and lack of experience, it should have been stopped. The end came after another sustained barrage in the 12th and final round when referee Gustavo Padilla stepped in at 2-59. Bin went to hospital afterwards. At featherweight – where Leo Santa Cruz is WBA champion – the sanctioning body decided to award their spurious Interim strap to Filipino,
Jhack Tepora after he stopped Mexico’s
Edivaldo Ortgea at 2-38 of the ninth. Tepora is one to watch even if his title is one to ignore. Roberto Ramirez Jnr halted the action after Ortega was dropped. Up at flyweight, South Africa’s
Moruti Mthalane regained the IBF title he owned (and never lost in the ring) from 2009-2012, when he outscored South Korea’s Pakistan-born Muhammad Waseem over 12. Two scores of 114-113 one of 116-110 awarded Mthalane – who defeated Zolani Tete in 2010 – with his 13th consecutive victory.
THE VERDICT Pacquiao reminds us of the glory days in what would have been a perfect swansong.