By Dan Ambrose: A clash between #2 WBO light welterweight contender Lucas Matthysse (36-3, 34 KOs) and former WBO 140 pound champion Ruslan Provodnikov (24-3, 17 KOs) is in the works for March or April this year.
Both fighters are up for the clash, and their promoters are on board for the fight as well. Provodnikov’s promoter Artie Pelullo wants to make the fight happen. However, if he’s unable to negotiate the fight, he’ll look to match the 30-year-old Provodnikov up against either Manny Pacquiao or Brandon Rios, according to RingTV.
The Rios fight would be contingent on him beating Mike Alvarado in their trilogy match-up this month on January 24th in Denver, Colorado. There’s no apparent interest from Provodnikov’s side in facing Alvarado again, because he already beat him by a 10th round knockout in October of 2013, and there probably wouldn’t be too much fan interest in a second clash between them.
The Matthysse vs. Provodnikov fight likely wouldn’t have the vacant WBO light welterweight title on the line for the fight, as Terence Crawford is moving up from lightweight and he’s being positioned to fight for the title. It’s possible that the winner of the Matthysse-Provodnikov fight could face Crawford for the WBO title if the World Boxing Organization wants to let their title stay vacant for that long of a time.
Former WBO light welterweight champion Chris Algieri recently was stripped of his title after he chose to move up to 147 and challenge WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao in a catch-weight fight last November. Algieri lost that fight, as well as his WBO 140 pound title.
“I have talked to Golden Boy [Promotions] about Matthysse,” said Pelullo to RingTV.com. “Both sides are interested in making the fight. We want Ruslan in the ring in March or April against a viable opponent and that could also be Rios if he beats Alvarado. But Matthysse has been talking about us making that fight.”
Marcos Maidana is also a possibility for #3 WBO Provodnikov if the Matthysse fight doesn’t come off. Provodnikov’s manager Vadim Kornilov is interested in that fight.
It’s unclear what Maidana thinks of it, but I’m sure that he’d be up for the fight if they waved enough cash in front of his face to make it worthwhile for him. You’ve got to imagine that Maidana would need a payday of at least $1 million for him to show any interest in facing a slugger like Provodnikov, even though it’s a fight that he could very well win due to his superior boxing skills.
Tim Bradley is also someone that Provodnikov’s management would like to match him up against. Provodnikov came close to beating Bradley in their fight in March 2013. Bradley won the fight by a 12 round unanimous decision. However, Provodnikov knocked Bradley down in the 12th round and left him concussed at the end of the fight.
I’m not so sure that Bradley would like a second helping of Provodnikov though. Bradley is already coming off of a tough fight against Diego Chaves, and it’s not probable that he’ll want to fight another slugger without a title belt in his possession. Bradley is interested in facing the likes of Miguel Cotto, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Cornelius Bundrage.