Lamont Peterson vs. Lucas Matthysse(Welterweights) 12 Rounds, Atlantic, City, NJ, May 18, 2013 (Showtime) |
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This is a matchup between two VERY competent, exciting fighters and the blend of styles should make for one of the more memorable fights of the year. Luckily, the fight will be televised on Showtime, and not pay-per-view, and you can catch all the action beginning this Saturday night at 9:15 pm ET. |
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Lamont Peterson |
Lucas Matthysse
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A- |
Boxing Ability & Intangibles |
B+ |
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B+ |
Hand Speed |
B |
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A |
Opposition & Experience |
A |
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C |
Defense |
B+ |
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C- |
Power |
A+ |
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D+ |
Punch Output |
C+ |
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A |
Chin |
A |
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A- |
Punch Accuracy |
C |
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B+ |
Conditioning |
A |
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B |
Aggression |
A |
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The Break Down Lamont Peterson is a blue collar, lunch pail-type of fighter who doesn’t throw a lot of punches but makes the most out of those he does throw. Typically, he is somewhere in the neighborhood of 53 punches a round (well below the junior welterweight average of 60.1), but he is extremely accurate, landing 43% of his total punches against Kendall Holt, and landing at about a 36% clip in 6 fights prior (more than 6 percentage points above average). In addition, he covers well, he works angles, and he can take an excellent punch (he’s never been knocked out, although he has tasted the canvas 4 times in his last 6 fights). If he can get off first, and touch Matthysse with accurate, quick shots I think he can box his way to a win; however, if he decides to “tough it out,” as is his nature, he could be in for a rough night. Lucas Matthysse is a hard-charging, hard throwing veteran who patiently seeks openings and pressures his opponents into fighting at close distance. He is also an active fighter (throwing around 64 punches a round) with tremendous power, registering 31 of his 33 wins inside the distance (86%). In five previous fights, Matthysse has landed (on average) 29% of his punches, and has been hit in return only 22% of the time, meaning he is more than just a one-dimensional slugger. He covers well, he has a good sense of distance and he knows how to negate an opponent’s hand speed with his timing. If he is able to control the space inside and smother Peterson, his power punching (which comprises 90% of his offense) will make him difficult to beat. Conclusion This is an absolute pick’em fight. I can see Peterson starting off well, boxing, moving and clinching when he needs to; but eventually I think he will tire, his output will wane, and Matthysse will begin to take over in the middle rounds. Matthysse is a rare gem that successfully combines speed and power with pressure and defense, and he is exceptional at breaking opponents down and getting them to fight his fight. Against 20th rated Ajose Olusegun, Matthysse out-threw his opponent by 121 punches, he out-landed him by 137 punches and he landed at a 42% clip, including 49% of his power shots. If he does anything close to those numbers in this fight, it will be virtually impossible for Peterson to keep pace. In the end, I think this will be an EXCELLENT fight, and I predict that Peterson will come out of the gate looking strong, fast, and focused. Unfortunately, Peterson’s toughness, and his willingness to trade, will force him into a fight (and pace) that he is unsuited for, and by the late rounds Matthysse’s power punching will be the difference in the fight. Therefore, in a close fight, I predict that Matthysse’s power, aggression, and subtle defensive maneuvering will enable him to score the more dramatic punches and win a close, 2-3 point decision win. (Matthysse by decision:115-112)* Including one knockdown |
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This Saturday night, the always exciting Lamont Peterson takes on hard hitting Argentinean Lucas Matthysse in a ten round, non-title bout from Atlantic City. Peterson, the current IBF junior welterweight titlist, is 29-years old, he is 31-1-1 with 16 knockouts, and he is currently rated #1 according to boxrec.com. Last February, he registered a sensational 8th round TKO over Kendall Holt, and before that he won a thrilling (albeit controversial) decision over Amir Khan, establishing himself as one of the premier talents at 140 pounds. In this fight, Peterson faces Lucas Matthysse, a 30-year old slugger with a record of 33-2 (31 KO’s) and a boxrec.com rating of #3. Matthysse is a tireless puncher with an uncanny ability to take punishment, and he can make the most skilled boxers wither from his constant pressure. His only two losses came in split decisions against Devon Alexander and Zab Judah (two of the very best technicians in the game), and in recent performances he decisively beat 10th rated Humberto Soto, 26th rated Ajose Olusegun, and 21st rated Mike Dallas Jr.
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This Saturday night in Brooklyn, Danny “Swift” Garcia defends his WBA/WBC junior welterweight titles against super slick southpaw Zab “Super” Judah. After registering a stunning TKO victory over Amir Khan back in July of last year, Garcia has since defeated Erik Morales for a second time, and he has run his record to a perfect 25-0 with 16 knockouts. He is an explosive, gutsy fighter, and his resolve will be put to the test against veteran cutie Zab Judah, who comes into the fight with a 42-7 record (29 KO’s) and a recent boxrec.com rating of #4. Judah, now 35-years old, is 6-1 since November of 2008 (with his only loss coming by way of a controversial TKO to Amir Khan back in July of 2011), and during that span he defeated Vernon Paris and Lucas Matthysse (fighters currently rated 25nd and 3rd respectively). This should be an excellent matchup between a confident young puncher with speed, power, and an eccentric father (Garcia), and an experienced defensive technician out to prove he has some gas left in the tank (Judah). Does Zab have what it takes to turn back the clock and win his 6th world title, or will Danny Garcia successfully defend his titles and continue along his path to superstardom? Either way, whether it is a “Swift” victory for Garcia, or a “Super” upset win for Judah, it should be a terrific night of boxing, and you can catch all the action beginning Saturday at 9:00 pm ET on Showtime.
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