Lucas Matthysse Isn’t Leaving: He’ll fight at 140

By Boxing News - 03/12/2014 - Comments

matthysse44By Isaac Brodie: A large number of the sport’s most talented and popular fighters compete between 140 and 147, but as of late it is getting harder to think of the junior middle weight division as anything more than a stepping stone, a mechanism for creating interest for future fights in its big brother division.

Since the like of Miguel Cotto, Manny Paquaio and Floyd Mayweather have moved on from the division, so too has the money and fanfare. So now when any standouts appear at 140 we immediately ask when they plan to move up and face our respective favourite. This has been exactly the case for Danny Garcia. As the undisputed king at 140he is still seen as a challenger, because in the eyes of many fans he is simply and opponent in waiting for the pound for pound champ.

And he will be. No doubt Golden Boy and Showtime will recognize the probable financial benefits that could come from this contest, and as Saul “Canelo” Alvarez has proven there is nothing to loose, fans will still be happy to support Danny if he does loose. There is something about a Mayweather loss that seems a given. And with this assumption there are increasingly few options left that will encourage fans to take the Floyd’s fights seriously. Enter Danny.

This leaves Lucas Matthysse (34-3, 32 KO’s). As aggravating as the Golden Boys company may be in their inability (which I am not solely blaming them for) to work with Top Rank, you have to admit they are good at what they do, particularly in these divisions. This is why despite the excitement a large number of fans felt when they heard Lucas Matthysse and Keith Thurman will be fighting on the same card it is clear they will not be fighting one another. Golden Boy needs Matthysse at 140 if it to continue to exist as a vehicle for supplying fights at 147. When Garcia does move on Lucas will be their most marketable fighter at this weight. Expect to see him in regular title fights in the next two years.

Lucas will be the gate keeper. I don’t mean this in the sense that Lucas will be shot. He clearly still has plenty of good fights left in the tank, but rather a gate keeper for the super fights. These promoters will be thinking long term. Sooner or later the ranks at 147 will need to be replenished. And anyone at 140 who can get a W over will be in the prime position for the role.

In his next fight it wouldn’t surprise me to see him fighting Judah in a rematch before fighting for one of Garcia’s vacated titles. With maybe a fringe contender in between. Ideally he would be steered toward Ruslan Provodnikov in the hopes of creating a genuine toss up at the top of the division. But this seems unlikely unless Ruslan opts to sign with GB. Worst case scenario an aging Judah somehow manages to squirrel a victory from Lucas and become a gatekeeper in the traditional sense.



Comments are closed.