Matthysse to retire Pacquiao – DL Hoya
Batang Gilas’ most talented unit ever-assembled still proved no match to European powerhouse Croatia yesterday.
The 10th-ranked Croatians dominated the 31st seeded Nationals behind a fluid ball movement and efficient shooting on the way to a wire-to-wire 97-75 victory as the FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup got going at the Newell’s Old Boys Stadium in Rosario, Argentina.
Top forward Matej Rudan led Croatioa with 16 points, spiked by four triples, while point guard Roko Gizdavcic accounted for seven of the team’s 28 assists, for an impressive start in Group D, considered as the “Group of Death” in the 16-team tournament.
Batang Gilas center Kai Sotto tallied game-highs of 23 points and 12 rebounds on top of two blocks in 31 minutes of play.
However, most of the Nationals proved sloppy on the offensive end as they turned the ball over 28 times, which the Croatians translated to 30 points.
Lucas Matthysse is not only coming to Malaysia to beat Manny Pacquiao.
The Argentine strongman is out to hand Pacquiao his retirement papers when they face each other on July 15 at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur.
Oscar De La Hoya, whose Goldenboy Promotions is staging the event in partnership with Pacquiao's MP Promotions, told ESPN Deportes over the weekend that Matthysse could end up forcing the Filipino legend to hang up his gloves.
"For me, every legend has his end and I think that this fight with Matthysse may be the end of Pacquiao," said De La Hoya, who was sent into retirement after suffering a loss to Pacquiao in December, 2008.
De La Hoya is flying to the Malaysian capital to help Pacquiao drumbeat the show that will also feature three other world title fights to prove that the promotion will go on as planned.
Matthysse, a knockout artist, is deep in training in Indio, California, while Pacquiao is entrenched on his hometown of General Santos City.
The Pacquiao battle will be Matthysse's first defense of the WBA welterweight crown he had only won last January in Los Angeles.
By the time Pacquiao answers the bell against Matthysse, it would have already been more than a year since his last fight. He dropped a controversial decision to Jeff Horn in Brisbane, Australia, on July 2, 2017.