Lucas Matthysse wants to be Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s next opponent
Lucas Matthysse is on the brink of his breakthrough night, riding two dominant knockout victories to his Saturday night world light-welterweight title unification bout against unbeaten Danny Garcia.
The co-main event to Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Saul “Canelo” Alvarez at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas could position the winner to be Mayweather Jr.’s next opponent should he defeat Alvarez.
Argentine Matthysse (34-2, 32 knockouts) has dismissed Mike Dallas Jr. by first-round knockout in January and former junior-welterweight world champion Lamont Peterson by third-round technical knockout after knocking him down three times earlier.
“I don’t go out looking or train for the knockout,” World Boxing Council champion Matthysse, 30, said through translator Eric Gomez recently in a Times video interview. “I train for everything.”
Matthysse spent a portion of time training near Palm Springs with world welterweight champion Timothy Bradley at his gym in Indio, saying he wanted to be in a similar climate to Las Vegas.
World Boxing Assn. champion Garcia (26-0, 16 knockouts) has most recently defended the belt he won by knocking out Amir Khan against veterans Erik Morales and Zab Judah, the latter having beaten Matthysse by a controversial split-decision in 2010.
Matthysse’s only other loss is a split-decision at the hands of Devon Alexander in Alexander’s hometown of St. Louis.
Asked if he feels incentive to start fast and try to finish his foes since those losses, Matthysse told reporters recently, “Those fights are an experience I’ve learned from. I come out a little faster now.”
On the video, Matthysse is visibly excited by the possibility to get at Mayweather Jr. next, saying he’ll “hopefully” get the shot should both win Saturday.
“If it happens,” Matthysse said, “I’m going to train very hard.”
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Twitter: @latimespugmire
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