• Light-welterweight

'New Pacquiao' Matthysse wants to fight real Pacquiao

Lucas Mattysse clubbed Lamont Peterson all over the ring at Boardwalk Hall © Getty Images

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Lucas Matthysse was hailed as the "new Manny Pacquiao" after his demolition of Lamont Peterson on Saturday night, but the Argentinian insists he would rather fight Pacquaio than be compared to him.

Matthysse, nicknamed "the Machine", tore through Peterson inside three rounds at Boardwalk Hall, dropping him on multiple occasions as his lethal left hook landed with alarming accuracy for future rivals.

Afterward, Golden Boy promotions CEO Richard Schaefer grabbed hold of the microphone and declared: "You're looking at the new Manny Pacquiao, his name is Lucas The Machine Matthysse."

Matthysse, though, would rather prove himself by wiping out Pacquiao as he did Peterson, saying: "I feel very happy that people are comparing me to Manny Pacquiao. But what I really want to do is fight him."

It is difficult to argue that Matthysse, right now, is one of the hottest properties in boxing. A record of 32 knockouts in 34 victories salutes the power he possesses, and Amir Khan has declared he would happily delay his move to welterweight to fight him.

Next for Matthysse is expected to be one of Khan's conquerors, Danny Garcia, who was ringside on Saturday. Garcia is the current Ring Magazine, WBC and WBA (Super) light-welterweight champion, but Matthysse is ominously confident.

"I'm hopeful that the fight happens in September," he said. "But I see that he's a slow fighter and he's wide open and I know I'll win that fight as well."

Matthysse still has plenty to prove, after all it was only three years ago that he lost to Zab Judah, but Schaefer is keen to make the Garcia fight happen - with September 7 likely to be the date.

"You can't underestimate Danny Garcia," Schaefer said. "That's the fight that I want to do and I'm going to work very hard to make sure it happens and that's the kind of event that we want to put on and I know Lucas is ready."

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