(Photo credit: Naoki Fakuda) By Gerardo Granados: It was really disappointing to hear Lucas Matthysse at the post fight interview to have said he could have got up but preferred to protect his eye because he couldn’t see. It was even worst to hear it days after the 40th anniversary of the Thrilla in Manila, to me it sounded like an insult for all the Valhalla fighters who in the past have stepped into the ring.
The best race driver who ever lived once said when questioned by Jackie Stewart: “if you no longer go for a gap that exist then you are no longer a racing driver”.
It is true the Postol vs Matthysse fight was quite dirty because referee Jack Reiss allowed it to be, but once Viktor Postol stop his excessive clinching he looked better. I believe that now a day the referees allow too much clinching favoring the taller boxers and fail to deduct a point early on the fight.
I had Lucas ahead on my score card 87-84 at the 9th round. It seems to me he started to gas out at the 8 round but he was still in control of the fight entering the round 10.
I can’t have this bout as upset of the year nominee because I had predicted Postol as the winner by split decision but I would never have imagined Lucas would have quit on his knee. I can’t imagine the Siberian Rocky Ruslan Provodnikov doing so.
When an aging past prime Erik Terrible Morales fought a prime Marcos Maidana with one eye since the second round the result was a close competitive epic battle and even if the fight judges didn’t gave Morales the decision that night, his heart and determination to win are an example of what true champions should do.
Guillermo Rigondeaux clearly hurt Nonito Donaire´s right eye at the 12 round but the Filipino Flash did his best to finish the fight on his feet and didn’t quit.
Khabid Allakverdiev lose by TKO12 and didn’t win a single round on my score card but still he always tried his best to fight back showing his hunger against Adrien Broner.
Could it be that Matthysse didn’t make new fans last night; is it convenient for Lucas to reconsider his future as a prize fighter; perhaps he should improve his preparation so in the near future he won’t have stamina issues. But one thing is for sure and that is that the readers just as me watch prize fighting be it Pro Boxing, MMA or Muay Thai to enjoy the controlled violence inside the ring and also to witness acts or valor and courage and not to see fighters quit when they feel hurt.
We all can expect what boxing purist will say and they will try to argue Lucas did the right thing. But what about the reader; do you think Lucas should at least have tried to continue or was he right to quit on his knee?
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