Philippines, 18 Sep 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Fans split on Manny's fight


PhilBoxing.com




Even as challenger Manny Pacquiao declared himself the underdog in his July 15 fight against WBA welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse of Argentina in Kuala Lumpur, oddsmakers insist the Filipino boxing icon is the favorite. The early betting shows that a $213 wager will win $100 for Pacquiao while a $100 stake will take in $155 for Matthysse.

But despite what the bookies claim, fans aren?t convinced it?ll be smooth sailing for Pacquiao. Strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune, who?s in Manila training Pacquiao, described Matthysse more dangerous than Jeff Horn and just as dirty but said because of the disparity in skill and speed, the Filipino should win by a stoppage.

In a random survey conducted by the London weekly trade magazine Boxing News, fans took wild swings at both fighters. Andrew Tobman said it will be a fun fight and a good match. ?A prime Manny wins handily,? he said. ?I think Matthysse wins on cleaner, harder punches in an action fight.?

Amina Montero said if Pacquiao wins, it will be by a unanimous decision but if Matthysse wins, it will be by a knockout. ?Even at almost 40, Pacquiao is still good enough to beat most of today?s top welters,? she said. Jerry Ramirez said ?if Lucas connects like Horn did, Manny will be in big trouble.? Ramirez should?ve qualified what he meant by ?connects.? Horn did more damage to Pacquiao with headbutts than punches but got away with it because referee Mark Nelson tolerated the shenanigans.

Fortune, an Australian like Horn, said if the WBO welterweight champion fights Terence Crawford like he fought Pacquiao in Brisbane last July, he?ll be disqualified. ?Horn fights dirty, that?s how we fight in Australia,? he said. ?But in Las Vegas where Horn will fight Crawford, he?ll be disqualified if he does that. I expect Crawford to win easily. Horn?s a tough physical guy and he?ll try to muscle in on Crawford. But Crawford is too good a fighter for Horn.? Fortune said the Crawford-Horn fight will be a bust in the box office because neither is a crowd pleaser.

Fortune said he was critical of how Horn fought Pacquiao and drew brickbats from his countrymen but couldn?t care less. ?I thought Manny won the fight by two rounds,? he said. ?That referee (Nelson) would?ve stopped the fight at the end of the ninth round but Horn?s people told him not to. Can you believe that? Matthysse fights dirty, too, and uses a lot of elbows. What makes him more dangerous than Horn is he can punch. But can he land? Matthysse?s slow and he won?t be able to handle Manny?s speed. He?ll come in well-conditioned so Manny must also be in top shape and he will be.?

Another Boxing News reader Duane Howard said Pacquiao will win by a unanimous decision. ?He doesn?t have the ruthless instinct to get a KO anymore,? said Howard. Master Pete said, ?Manny should retire ... Matthysse probably wins but Manny is finished.? Justin Powell said ?a washed-up Pacquiao beats a washed-up Matthysse? and Joseph McGuinness said Pacquiao will win on points. ?Both have been around the block,? said McGuinness. ?Pacquiao will be wary of the fact that Matthysse can KO him. He?s been very cautious since the Juan Manuel Marquez KO. But Pacquiao is the better boxer. I see a 12-round win for Manny.?

Former two-time world champion Gerry Penalosa said it will be an easy fight for Pacquiao because Matthysse is slow and will be a sitting duck. But Penalosa admitted Matthysse is a fearsome puncher with 36 stoppages in 39 wins or a 92 percent knockout rate. The question is whether Matthysse will be able to connect. Pacquiao surely won?t be an obliging target. Both Pacquiao, 39, and Matthysse, 35, are in the crossroads of their careers. Losing isn?t an option for both and that?s why the ?Fight of Champions? is destined to be a barnburner.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Vayson aims to make history
    By Joaquin Henson, , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • KAIPO GALLEGOS TRAINING CAMP NOTES
    , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • Day Two of 2025 USA Boxing National Open Delivers 108 Action-Packed Bouts in Tulsa
    , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • Bryce Mills Boxes James Bernadin At del Lago Resort & Casino On Thursday, Oct. 30, in Waterloo, NY
    , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • Caribbean Clash Returns Friday, November 7th at Gulfstream Park Casino in Hallandale, Florida
    , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • VM Sotto, City Council Recognize GM Joey Antonio
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • Larida is Southern Coach of the Year
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • D.C. Knockout Artist Scooter Davis Signs Promotional Contract with Top Rank
    , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 15 SEPTEMBER 2025: Crawford Snatches Canelo's Undisputed Crown at 168 Lbs; Inoue Defeats Akhmadliev to Retain 4 Superbantam Belts; Crocker Outpoints Donovan
    By Eric Armit, , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • TICKET NEWS: EUBANK JR-BENN II ON SALE FROM THIS WEDNESDAY
    , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • “Night of Champions” Returns to Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando on September 19
    , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • Canelo-Crawford: The Consolidation of Boxing’s New Commercial Empire
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • A New Era for Boxing: Canelo vs. Crawford Shatters Global Viewership Records on Netflix
    By Dong Secuya, , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • Crawford Not the First Lightweight to Distinguish Himself at Super Middleweight
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • Kurt Scoby and Josh Popper Headline Boxing Insider Card September 19 in Times Square
    , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • Green and Gold 2025: Amateur Boxing’s International Gathering in Bolivia
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • Pakistan's Sameer Khan Set to Battle for UBO Youth World Title in Brico Santig’s Sep 27 Show in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • SAMBO Pilipinas is Southern NSA of the Year 2025
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • Kingsley “The Black Lion” Ibeh To headline historic “Legacy Nights” Inaugural Pro Boxing event in El Salvador
    , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • Smarts over power
    By Joaquin Henson, , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • HALL OF FAME FLIES FLAGS AT HALF-STAFF FOR TWO-DIVISION CHAMPION RICKY HATTON
    , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • Kazakhstan tops the medal table at the inaugural World Boxing Championships 2025 thanks to victory in the final bout of the competition
    , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 13: JOE FRAZIER’S HUMBLE BEGINNINGS AS AN AMATEUR FIGHTER
    By Maloney L. Samaco, , Mon, 15 Sep 2025
  • A New King, A New Challenger: Turki Alalshikh Proposes Crawford-Benavidez While Canelo Alvarez Faces Defeat with Humility
    By Dong Secuya, , Mon, 15 Sep 2025
  • Highly Questionable Title Eliminator
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Mon, 15 Sep 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.