People were expecting an old Manny Pacquiao, but what they got was the Old Manny Pacquiao as he stopped Lucas Matthysse in seven one-sided rounds to capture the WBA Welterweight title at Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia.
Pacquiao displayed handpeed and power that he has not displayed in at least half a decade which led him to land at will on Matthysse.
In round three, Pacquiao landed a perfect lead left uppercut to the chin that Sent Matthysse to the canvas. In round five, it was a right hook to the head that momentarily wobbled and then Matthysse took a knee.
Pacquiao ended things in round seven, when it was another uppercut that sent Matthysse to the canvas. Referee Kenny Bayless called a halt to the action at 2:43.
Pacquiao is now 60-7-2 with 39 knockouts. Matthysse is 39-5.
“You have to love what you do in order to do what I still do as a
39-year-old fighter,” said Pacquiao, who trained hardest despite his
age, pushing himself to the limit.
“Do I look old,?” asked Pacquiao laughing in front of the members of
media at the post-fight press conference.
“Not today,” said Pacquiao, who was cheered on by Philip[pine
president Rodrigo Duterte who watched in the presidential suite with
new Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. “Of course, it was an
extra motivational tool for me to fight well and careful.”
“We will take a rest for now before we decide what to do next,” said
Pacquiao, who goes back to work this week as the Philippine Senate
opens its sessions.
Jhack Tepora won the vacant interim WBA Featherweight title with a 9th round stoppage over Edivaldo Ortega.
Tepora dominated the action, and landed a hard left uppercut that sent Ortega to the canvas, Tepora opened up on Ortega, and the fight was stopped at 2:38.
Tepora is now 22-0 with 17 knockouts. Ortega is now 26-2-1.
Carlos Canizales won the the WBA Light Flyweight title with a 12th round stoppage over Bin Lu.
Canizales dominated the fight as he peppered Lu with hard rights throughout the contest. Canizales dropped Lu in round 11 and again at the end of round 12. The bout was stopped at 2:59.
Canizales is 21-0-1 with 13 knockouts. Lu is 1-1.
Moruti Mthalane won the IBF Flyweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Muhammad Waseem.
Mthalane controlled the action until he was dropped with a combination in round 11.
Mthalane won by scores of 116-110 and 114-113 to raise his mark to 36-2. Waseem is 8-1.
