PACQUIAO-MATTHYSSE FEATS, FACTS AND FIGURES 9: MATTHYSSE GOES FOR A KNOCKOUT AGAINST PACQUIAO
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 21 Jun 2018
Lucas Matthysse's head trainer Joel Diaz analyzed that Manny Pacquiao at present is not that powerful compared when he was younger. Diaz says Matthysse will do everything to score a knockout when they clash for the World Boxing Association regular welterweight title in Kuala Lumpur on July 15.
Diaz knows very well how Pacquiao fights having coached Timothy Bradley in his first two fights against Pacquiao. The veteran trainer warns the Argentinean world titlist that ruthless onslaught on the eight division world champion is likewise risky for Matthysse.
Diaz has formulated a tactical fight plan that would more or less follow the Bradley pattern which upset Pacquiao during their first encounter, although it was later unofficially reversed by a panel of experts who reviewed it and declared that Pacquiao actually won.
Many experts consider Bradley as the better fighter than Matthysse, but the Argentinean champion punches stronger and is a knockout artist.
?I think if Lucas follows the plan the way we are working on and catches Pacquiao in an exchange, we will hurt him,? Diaz was quoted by KO Artist Sports. Diaz of course knows that Pacquiao has superior speed than Matthysse.
?Going the distance with Manny, we?re not going to win. So we?re going for all the marbles. We have to go for the knockout,? Diaz added.
Diaz realized that to beat Pacquiao you must have good timing, because he is a very intense fighter. He said that "Pacquiao can tire you out psychologically because physically you can never time him when he comes in. He?s always so tense. He uses a lot of feints. He always keeps you on the edge.?
Diaz however has observed the Manny Pacquiao 10 years ago, 5 years ago and 2 months ago and has made some changes that he is not the young Manny Pacquiao anymore that has the power. "When was the last time that he knocked out someone out? It?s been a while,? Diaz said.
Pacquiao will let the outcome of the Matthysse fight decide his boxing future. "If my body does not respond anymore why am I pushing myself?" he said. "This fight is the answer of all those questions."
The 35-year-old Matthysse has won 36 of his 44 fights by knockout.
Pacquiao, who trains for his 69th professional fight, was the first boxer in history to win world titles in four of the original eight weight classes of boxing - flyweight, featherweight, lightweight and welterweight.
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