Despite having what is largely being viewed as a trajectory bout on Showtime Championship Boxing this evening against Roberto ?Massa? Ortiz (31-0-1, 24 KOs), the fighter most affectionately known as ?The Machine? wants fight fans to know that he won?t be looking past his opponent at the U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio, this evening.
In his last outing, Lucas Matthysse (35-3, 33 KOs) was dropped twice en route to stopping perennial tough guy John Molina Jr. on April 26, 2014, at the Stub Hub Center in Carson, California.
The hard punching Argentine realizes that anything can happen in the squared circle.
?Those things happen in boxing,? admits the 31 year old fight veteran. ?You can be a great champion, but sometimes you go against someone with a lot of power. You just have to get up, brush yourself off, and keep fighting. That?s what I did. I brushed it off and I got the win.?
?We didn?t look past John Molina earlier this year, and we?re not looking past Roberto Ortiz. We?re expecting a very tough fight. He?s a very strong fighter, just like all of the Mexican warriors in boxing. We?re expecting a very entertaining fight.?
Although most fight scribes and boxing fans are looking forward to an eventual meeting between Matthysse and Broner in 2015 for a possible vacant world title, the iron fisted southpaw insists that he has unfinished business that he would prefer to address before he tangles with the self proclaimed problem of boxing. ?If I am successful in beating Ortiz, I would like to fight Danny Garcia again,? claims Lucas Matthysse. ?I think I am a better fighter now than I was when we fought last year. If he?s too scared to fight me, then I?ll have to find someone else to fight for a world title like Broner. But I would prefer to face Danny Garcia again. I know I can beat him decisively.? Because there are talks of Garcia potentially facing Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather Jr. at 147 pounds in 2015, Matthysse might have to get used to the idea of competing against Adrien Broner for Garcia?s vacant WBC or WBA Junior Welterweight title.
The Machine states that he is okay with a fight against the three division world titlist.
?I hope that it would happen,? states the Argentine sharp shooter. ?I know that he?s been talking a lot about it. I hope that it?s true and it?s not just talk like he always talks.?
Matthysse?s opponent warns the hard punching favorite not to discount his chances in the ring on Saturday night.
?Everyone is picking Matthysse to win because they aren?t familiar with my style,? observes Ortiz. ?They aren?t familiar with me. People are going to get familiar with me and they?ll get to know me after this fight. I?ll fight anyone. When I beat Matthysse, I?m looking to fight the best in the world and eventually become a world champion.?
?I know what I have ahead of me and I know it?s going to be a tough fight. It?s my first time fighting in the U.S. and I?m going to take full advantage of it.?
Saturday, September 6, Adrien Broner (28-1, 22 KOs) and Emmanuel Taylor (18-2, 12 KOs) will meet in Saturday’s 12-round super lightweight main event, live on SHOWTIME? immediately following the premiere of “ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2” Episode 2 at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT.
In the co-feature, former WBA Super Lightweight World Champion Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse (35-3, 33 KOs) will square off with Mexico’s highly touted and unbeaten Roberto “Massa” Ortiz (31-0-1, 24 KOs) in a 12-round bout for Ortiz’s WBC Silver Super Lightweight Title. Opening the telecast will be the return of former welterweight world champion Andre Berto (28-3, 22 KOs) against Steve Upsher (24-3-1, 6 KOs) in a 10-round welterweight bout.
