PACQUIAO-MATTHYSSE FEATS, FACTS AND FIGURES PART II
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 11 May 2018
Jonathan Pe?alosa, one of Manny Pacquiao's training assistants, did the mitts for 5 rounds with him at the Wild Card Gym in Genaral Santos City. The former WBO international flyweight champ told ABS-CBN News ?He is still so strong. So fast, nothing has changed.? Jonathan is the brother of former world champions Dodie Boy and Gerry Pe?alosa.
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Nonito Donaire Sr., father of multiple world champion and BWAA Fighter of the Year Nonito Jr., and former national coach Ting Ariosa joined Pacquiao's training team and took turns in doing the mitts in the practices with Pacquiao.
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Trainer Joel Diaz has warned that his hard hitting boxer, WBA "regular" welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse, could knockout Pacquiao. "Look, this is the thing: Manny Pacquiao has the speed, he has footwork and he has power too. But honestly, Manny Pacquiao is not a 147-pounder. He is a 135 and 140 pounder,? Diaz told The Manila Times.
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"Lucas Matthysse has power. I believe Lucas Matthysse has the heavier hands than Juan Manuel Marquez.? Diaz added that in a little bit of exchanges of punches, it?s going to be hard for Pacquiao to take a punch like that he suffered from the Marquez KO. Lucas' trainer also said Manny is no longer the young Pacquiao that can withstand power.
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"The last fight was, as you can see, Marquez is a great counter puncher and Marquez, when he was hitting, is waiting for the right opportunity and right time to land on Manny Pacquiao and Manny Pacquiao came in. So a fighter like Matthysse with a harder punch than Marquez is dangerous for Pacquiao," declared Diaz.
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Since Matthysse invaded the welterweight division, he has always been trained by Diaz. Matthysse made his debut at welterweight last May and stopped Emmanuel Taylor. He came back in January and knocked out Tewa Kiram for the vacant WBA "regular" welterweight belt.
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?Lucas is a heavy puncher, a very heavy puncher. I trained Lucas Matthysse for his last two fights and he is one of the heaviest hitters that I trained,? explained Diaz.
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Floyd Mayweather Jr., who is in the Philippines, had an opinion regarding the upcoming showdown between his former rival and the Argentinian champion. "That's a good match-up, a very exciting fight," Mayweather said.
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"Manny Pacquiao and Lucas Matthysse are great fighters," he added. "So it's a great match-up. They are both former world champions, so it should be a very, very good fight."
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Pacquiao hopes high of surpassing Muhammad Ali?s 1975 match with Joe Bugner at Merdeka Stadium in Kuala Lumpur. ?We have assembled the biggest fight Malaysia has been waiting for in the last 43 years since the Muhammad Ali-Joe Bugner fight in July 1975,? Pacquiao told Bernama in a statement issued by MP Promotions and Events.
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?This is the fight I have always wanted. The opportunity to fight a future Hall of Fame boxer such as Manny ?Pacman? Pacquiao inspires me to work harder than ever to earn a victory for my fans. I know that it will not be easy. But I will defend my title with honour and represent my country Argentina with pride,? said Matthysse.
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It was only a World Boxing Association title, among the major boxing governing bodies, which Pacquiao failed to win in his storied boxing career. He faltered twice, the first time against Juan Manuel Marquez, when they fought for the featherweight championship to a split draw, and the second time when he lost by unanimous decision to Floyd Mayweather for the welterweight championship belt.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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