Ni Gilbert Espeña

MATAPOS patulugin sa 8th round ang dating walang talong si Tewa Kiram ng Thailnd sa The Forum sa Las Angeles, California noong nakaraang linggo, nagpahayag ng malaking interes si bagong WBA welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse ng Argentina na hamunin si eight-division titlist Manny Pacquiao sa lalong madaling panahon.

“I always want to fight with the best. I’ve already said that I would like to do it again with Danny Garcia or a fight with Manny Pacquiao, and I hope that one of those fights will happen,” sabi ni Matthysse sa BoxingScene.com.

Kaagad namang tinanggap ng Amerikanong Hall of Fame trainer na si Freddie Roach ang hamon ng Argentinian na kilalang knockout artist.

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“I love that fight, one of his trainers was here the other day,” sabi Roach hinggil sa miyebro ng Team Matthysse na nagsadya sa Wild Card Boxing Club sa Hollywood, California. “I took him downstairs, I gave him the tour a little bit, he pointed at a picture of Pacquiao and said, ‘We want him’ and I said, ‘I would love for you to have him.’”

Noon pa niluluto ng Top Rank ang laban ni Pacquiao (59-7-2, 38 KO’s) kay Matthys (39-4, 36 KOs) pero nabolilyaso ito nang matalo via knockout ang Argentinian sa Amerikanong si Garcia.

Huling lumaban si Pacquiao noong Hulyo 2, 2017 na naagawan ng WBO welterweight title sa kontrobersiyal na 12-round unanimous decision ni Aussie Jeff Horn sa Brisbane, Australia at napaulat na isasabak siya kay dating WBO super lightweight champion Mike Alvarado na isa ring Amerikano.

Nang tanungin sa magiging resulta ng laban kung maghaharap sina Pacquiao at Matthysse, napangiti si Roach sabay sabing “I think it’s a great fight, two guys who are a little bit older and not as big of punchers as they once were but it’s a very good action-packed fight.”