By Dan Ambrose: #2 WBC 140lb contender Lucas “Machine” Matthysse (37-3, 34 KOs) may not have the unbeaten record or the highest ranking going into tonight’s clash with #1 WBC Viktor Postol (27-0, 11 KOs), but what he will have is a big advantage in terms of the purse he’ll be getting for their fight on HBO Boxing at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.
Mathysse will be getting $500,000 compared to the 31-year-old Postol’s $90,000. But this is nothing compared to the money that the 33-year-old Matthysse could potentially get if his promoter Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions sets him up with a fight against former eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao in 2015.
There’s a chance that Matthysse can get that fight if he beats Postol and wins the vacant WBC light welterweight title that will on the line for the fight. Matthysse will need to be able to handle Postol’s long reach and height advantage if he wants to win this fight. It could be difficult for Matthysse because Postol will likely be as slippery as an eel tonight. Postol says he’s going to slug with Matthysse, but I don’t believe that for a second. That’s probably just a trick by Postol in saying that because he’s got to know that he doesn’t have the punching power to stand in there and trade with Matthysse in this fight. If Postol tries and slug with Matthysse, then he’s going to get blown out quickly.
“Purses for Sat night’s #MatthyssePostol card: Matthysse $500k, Postol $90k (more overall with overseas $), Orozco $100k, Soto $100k. #boxing,” Dan Rafael said on his twitter.
#7 WBC 140lb contender Humberto Soto (65-8-2, 35 KOs) won’t be getting too much for his fight against unbeaten #11 WBC Antonio Orozco (22-0, 15 KOs). Both are going getting $100, 000. Compared to some of the inflated purses we’ve seen from mediocre fighters on many of the recent fight cards, Soto, Orozco, Matthysse and Postol are getting next to nothing for their fights.
When you see fighters like Brandon Rios and Tim Bradley making over $1 million for their fights, it just makes you wonder what’s wrong with boxing when you see guys that are arguably better than them in the above fighters getting far less. Showtime is getting more than their money’s worth tonight with the Matthysse-Postol and Soto-Orozco fights.
Those are two very exciting match-ups, and those fighters clearly deserve more than what they’re getting. Soto, 35, could eventually get a good payday if he can keep winning long enough to get a title shot against the winner of the Matthysse vs. Postol fight. The same with Orozco.
These guys are going to need to climb the ranks if they want a title shot against the winner of tonight’s title clash. Soto already lost to Matthysse by a 5th round knockout three years ago in 2012, and I don’t think Matthysse will bother giving Soto a voluntary shot at his title.
It’ that Matthysse beat Soto so easily the previous time they fought each other. The thing is Soto would likely beat Postol if it were him in the ring with him tonight. That just kind of tells you want kind of mismatch we’re likely going to have to tonight in the main event. But I still think the Matthysse vs. Postol fight is an interesting one on paper, but I just don’t think it’s going to be interesting in real life.
Matthysse’s punching power makes him the favorite for his fight against Postol. Further, Matthysse has the fighting style that gives him a good chance at getting the Pacquiao fight. Postol doesn’t hit hard enough or have an exciting enough style for him to get a fight against Pacquiao.
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