Argentina’s Lucas Matthysse inside of the Indio Boys and Girls Club in Southern California (Photo: Chris Robinson – www.HustleBoss.com)
By Chris Robinson
Despite asking several boxing luminaries for their thoughts on the Floyd Mayweather vs. Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez super fight, I’ve had trouble finding anyone who gives the young champion from Jalisco, Mexico a clear edge in the matchup.
Mayweather’s combination of ring acumen, experience, and talent are just too much for most people to overlook despite all of Alvarez’s upside as a prizefighter.
During a recent swing through the Indio Boys and Girls Club in Southern California, I was able to get some input on the fight from one of the hottest names in the sport, Lucas Matthysse, and the Argentinean’s answers did surprise me a bit.
The WBC interim junior welterweight champion at 140 pounds, Matthysse will face off with WBA/WBC champion Danny Garcia on the Mayweather-Alvarez undercard on Sept. 14 inside of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
When asked who he favors in a Mayweather-Alvarez duel, Matthysse hesitated just a bit.
“That’s a very good fight,” said Matthysse. “Very difficult. 50/50.”
Curious for his reasoning, I asked Matthysse if it is Canelo’s size, with him being a natural junior middleweight, that makes him feel he has a real shot.
“I think so,” Matthysse added. “He’s very young, very intelligent, and he’s big. He’s going to give him a lot of problems. It’s a very difficult fight.
“He always fights with fighters who are much smaller than him,” Matthysse added of Mayweather. “This one’s a little difficult, because he’s a fighting at natural 154-pounder.”
During his open media workout in Big Bear last week, Alvarez confirmed that he had been studying footage of Miguel Cotto’s bout with Mayweather from May of last year.
In that fight, Cotto gave a spirited effort and had moments of success by attacking Mayweather’s body and pinning him along the ropes. Still, in the face of adversity, Mayweather was able to show himself the superior fighter to Cotto as he collected a unanimous decision victory over twelve rounds.
Matthysse is familiar with the fight and spoke on Cotto’s performance.
“He did a good fight,” stated Matthysse. “Cotto hit him a lot of times. It was difficult.”
Mayweather, however has seemed amused by the fact that Alvarez had been studying his melee with Cotto.
“Only thing he can learn from the Cotto fight is how to lose,” Mayweather stated during a recent conference call to discuss the fight.
Sept. 14 can’t come soon enough.
Check out more of Chris Robinson’s exclusive coverage from the boxing world below…
Behind the scenes with Lucas Matthysse in Indio as he trains for Danny Garcia [Part 1]
Weigh-in footage: Chris Arreola talks trash to Seth Mitchell; both men coming in at 242 pounds
Official weigh-in: Rafael Marquez vs. Efrain Esquivias [Showtime Championship Boxing]
Seth Mitchell media workout footage ahead of big clash with Chris Arreola
Chris Arreola clowns Seth Mitchell and reveals why he likely won’t fight Deontay Wilder next
Lucas Matthysse admits he hasn’t watched many of Danny Garcia’s fights
Nacho Beristain gives updates on Juan Manuel Marquez’s training for Timothy Bradley
Rafael Marquez on facing Leo Santa Cruz, Abner Mares’ upset loss, Juan’s bout with Bradley, more
‘Cuty’ Barrera on moving Matthysse’s camp to Indio, assessing Danny Garcia, sparring partners, more
Lydell Rhodes returns to camp; sharp mittwork with Floyd Mayweather Sr. [September 2013]
Wild Sparring: Andrew Tabiti vs. Ngoula Romarick at the Mayweather Boxing Club [September 2013]
Roger Mayweather remembers sparring with Floyd and reaching out to Bob Arum
Kovalev was afraid of Golovkin’: Abel Sanchez talks sparring days at the Summit Gym in Big Bear
Mayweather Sr. opens up on Floyd’s camp, weight preferences, a possible pro-Canelo crowd, more
Chris Robinson can be reached at Trimond@aol.com