matthysse84 By Allan Fox: #2 WBC, #2 WBO, #3 IBF light welterweight contender Lucas Matthysse (36-3, 34 KOs) says he’ll be back inside the ring next month on February 28th in a fight possibly for the vacant WBO 140 pound title.

That was the strap that the World Boxing Organization recently stripped from Chris Algieri after he decided to move up welterweight to challenge WBO 147 pound champion Manny Pacquiao for his title.

Matthysse, if he does get a shot at the vacant WBO 140lb title, he’ll be facing another top contender for the belt. Algieri is currently rated at No.1 by the WBO, but it’s unclear how he’d feel getting in the ring so quickly to face a slugger like Matthysse.

Rate at No.3 is former WBO light welterweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov. It would be a good fight, but Provodnikov just finished facing Jose Luis Castillo recently, and he might not be able to get ready so quickly for the fight against Matthysse.

At No. 4 is a fighter named Jason Pagara, and at #5 is Humberto Soto, a fighter that Matthysse easily beat in 2012 by a 5th round knockout. Soto did look good in beating John Molina by a 10 round decision in his last fight in September.

There’s a big difference between Molina and Matthysse. Soto would likely get run over by Matthysse if the two of them were to face each other again. Thomas Dulorme is rated #6 by the WBO. It would be a mismatch between him and Matthysse though.

If Matthysse only had to face Dulorme to pick up the vacant WBO 140lb title then it would be like taking candy from a baby. Dulorme isn’t ready for a fighter of Matthysse’s class.

“I have dated for February 28. There are two or three rivals, Matthysse said to elpatagonico. “The WBO title super light welterweight is vacant at 140 pounds. I’m number one so we are waiting to confirm my opponent and place. The date is ready.”

Of all the potential opponents that Matthysse could face for the WBO title, Provodnikov would likely give him the most trouble. But Matthysse is a great boxer, and he’d very likely easily out-box Provodnikov would taking a lot of punishment even in staying in the pocket much of the fight. Provodnikov is a pretty limited fighter.

Matthysse, 32, has won his last two fights since suffering a loss to Danny Garcia in 2013. After that fight, Matthysse defeated John Molina in an exciting fight, and then he defeated Roberto Ortiz in his last outing.