Matthysse-Postol

(Photo credit: Sumio Yamada) By Tim Fletcher: Golden Boy Promotions matchmaker Eric Gomez says that his fighter #2 WBC Lucas Matthysse (37-4, 34 KOs) was temporarily blinded for 10-20 seconds after being dropped by a right hand from unbeaten Ukrainian Viktor Postol (28-0, 12 KOs) last Saturday night in their fight for the vacant WBC light welterweight title at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.

Matthysse got hit by a punch that landed to his left eye, and he says he felt total pain in his eye. However, he took a knee rather than falling down in the traditional sense.

(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.

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By Michael Montero: The StubHub center is in Carson, California, but on this night one could have mistaken the location for Buenos Aires, as a significant Argentinian contingent showed up to cheer for Lucas Matthysse in his fight against Ukraine’s Victor Postol for a vacant junior welterweight title. In the co-feature, undefeated Antonio Orozco took on cagey veteran Humberto Soto in an all Mexican ten round contest. It was another great doubleheader from HBO Boxing, which is having a spectacular year.

The height difference between Postol and Matthysse was evident from the opening bell. The much taller Postol, working with trainer Freddie Roach, attempted to tie up his opponent every time he lunged in.

(Photo credit: Tom Hogan/Golden Boy Promotions) By Allan Fox: The 5’6 1/2″ Lucas Matthysse (37-4, 34 KOs) wasn’t able to handle the much taller 5’11” Viktor Postol (28-0, 12 KOs) in losing to the Ukrainian fighter by a 10th round knockout tonight to win the vacat WBA light welterweight title at the StubHub Center in Carson, California. Postol put Matthysse on the canvas to get the knockout. Matthysse looked like he wasn’t that hurt from the punch, but he stayed down anyway. Referee Jack Reiss officially stopped the fight at 2:58 of the 10th round.

You hate to call it a quit job by Matthysse, but that’s basically what he did by going down on one knee and not getting up. He did not look hurt from that punch. I think Matthysse just gave up mentally because he had no answers for what to do to get close enough to throw his punches.

(Photo credit: Tom Hogan/Golden Boy Promotions) By Jim Dower: In a surprising outcome, unbeaten #1 WBC Viktor Postol (28-0, 12 KOs) stopped #2 WBC Lucas Matthysse (37-4, 34 KOs) in the 10th round on Saturday night to capture the vacant WBA light welterweight title on HBO Championship Boxing from the StubHub Center in Carson, California. Postol knocked Matthysse down with a right hand in the 10th. Matthysse then opted not to get back to his feet and he was counted out by referee Jack Reiss. Matthysse was rubbing his left eye while on the canvas. He said that his left eye was injured from the right hand that he was knocked down with.

“I can assure you this is not going to be my last knockout,” Postol said after the fight. “I took a few hard shots. I can take a punch. I was afraid that he was going to take a point away from me, but Freddie told me I could fight on the inside and throw short punches. It would be a pleasure to meet him [Terence Crawford in the ring. I want to prove myself to American boxing fans.”

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.