Lucas Matthysse has long searched for becoming a world champion. He had fallen short twice in his biggest fights losing controversial decisions to Zab Judah and Devon Alexander. He stayed busy, building his resume and waiting on a shot to face WBC champion Danny Garcia, whom Matthysse is the mandatory challenger for.
When Danny Garcia opted to fight against Zab Judah, Matthysse was offered a shot at IBF world champion Lamont Peterson as part of a mini 140 pound tournament that Golden Boy Promotions was holding. Finally, Matthysse was going to get his long awaited shot at a title. The hard work paid off and the long road was coming to an end. Then something happened. The fight went from being a 140 pound title fight to a “welterweight” fight at a catch weight of 141 pounds with Peterson’s title no longer up for grabs.
Peterson made weight at 141 and Matthysse weighed in at 140 pounds.
In a highly anticipated fight that many felt would be a barn burner ended rather quickly with Matthysse dominating Peterson for TKO victory in the third round of their fight. He was happy with his victory. Many people said he couldn’t do it and he did it.
Matthysse raised his stock up real high with his victory but still there was no championship belt. In an age of alphabet titles, it does not seem as important to fans but to fighters who give everything in the ring and pour their heart and soul and put their lives on the line, it does mean something.
Maybe Matthysse’s next title shot will come against Danny Garcia in what is expected to again be a barn burner or maybe it will come against someone else. While Matthysse can’t call himself “champ” just yet but we, the boxing fans, can because he deserves to be champion and has earned it.
He walked away with another title; maintaining his status as the relentless machine power puncher who took another victim with him in a quest to becoming the best 140 lb champion. His promoter called him the new Manny Pacquiao. While he may not be that, he is becoming something special, one of the hardest punchers in the game, if not the hardest. Whether or not he gets the Danny Garcia shot in September, he’ll be wreaking havoc on other 140lbers that decided to bravely get in the ring with him.
