LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Lucas Matthysse will be much the shorter man when he steps into the ring against Viktor Postol but what he lacks in size he hopes to make up for in punching power.
Although Matthysse is one of boxing s most feared punchers, the 33-year-old from Argentina has never held a major world title.
He is determined to change that Saturday when he squares off against the unbeaten Ukrainian for the vacant World Boxing Council super lightweight title at the StubHub Center stadium in Los Angeles.
The two are fighting for one of the titles vacated by Danny Garcia when he moved up to the welterweight division.
“I am very excited,” said Matthysse, who will give away four inches (10 centimeters) in height.
“We are very well prepared. We are coming like always to give war.”
Matthysse has 37 wins and just three losses, one of those coming during his only full title fight when he lost to Garcia in September 2013.
Garcia floored Matthysse for the first time and ended the Argentine s knockout streak, winning by a unanimous decision.
But since then Matthysse has regrouped and won three straight fights, including two by knockout.
In his last bout he posted a majority decision over Russian Ruslan Provodnikov in April.
But Matthysse can t take Postol (27-0, 11 KOs) for granted. Besides being taller, Postol has a seven inch reach advantage.
Known as a technical boxer, Postol put his power on display with a stunning knockout of SelcukAydin in May last year.
Postol s manager Vadim Komilov said they would take the fight to the Argentine.
“We know he can brawl with Postol and we will be ready for that,” said Komilov.
“Our team will be victorious because we will be prepared for whatever he has in the ring.
“We are going to force him to brawl on Saturday night.”
