Lucas Matthysse facts for kids

Lucas Martín Matthysse (born 27 September 1982) is an Argentine former professional boxer. He was a professional boxer from 2004 to 2018. People called him La Máquina, which means "The Machine," because of his strong punches.

Lucas was known for his exciting, aggressive fighting style. He had amazing punching power! He won the WBA (Regular) welterweight title in 2018. He also held the WBC interim super lightweight title from 2012 to 2013.

Lucas comes from a family of boxers. His older brother, Walter Matthysse, was also a welterweight boxer. His sister, Edith Soledad Matthysse, was a world champion in featherweight boxing.

Amateur Boxing Career

Before turning professional, Lucas Matthysse had a good amateur career. He competed in the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. During these games, he quickly defeated Colombia's Breidis Prescott in the very first round.

Lucas also faced another famous boxer, Marcos Maidana, four times as an amateur. Maidana won three of those fights, and one fight ended in a draw.

Professional Boxing Career

Starting as a Light Welterweight

Lucas Matthysse began his professional boxing journey in June 2004. He won his very first professional fight against Leandro Almagro. This fight was special because his brother, Walter, also fought on the same night.

Big Fights and Tough Losses

Matthysse vs. Judah

On 6 November 2010, Lucas had a big fight against former world champion Zab Judah. It was a very close fight, and the judges made a "split decision." This means some judges thought Judah won, and others thought Matthysse won. In the end, Judah won by a small margin.

During the fight, Judah started strong, but Lucas became more aggressive in the later rounds. Lucas even knocked Judah down in the tenth round with a powerful right hand. But Judah managed to get back up and finish the fight.

Matthysse vs. Alexander

On 25 June 2011, Lucas faced another former world champion, Devon Alexander. This was another very close fight that ended in a "split decision." Many people thought the decision was unfair. Two judges scored the fight for Alexander, while one judge scored it for Matthysse.

Winning Important Titles

Matthysse vs. Martínez, Soto, and Olusegun

Lucas was supposed to fight Erik Morales, but he got sick and couldn't train. So, he had to pull out of that fight.

Instead, on 10 February 2012, Lucas fought Martín Ángel Martínez from Mexico. Lucas won this fight easily when Martínez stopped fighting after the fifth round. This win helped Lucas get ready for bigger challenges.

Next, Lucas fought Humberto Soto on 23 June 2012. Both boxers landed strong punches, but Lucas was better at hitting Soto's body. Lucas won this fight in the fifth round.

Then, on 8 September 2012, Lucas faced Ajose Olusegun, an undefeated boxer from Nigeria. Olusegun was the required challenger for the WBC light welterweight title. The fight was exciting, with both boxers trading punches. But Lucas's powerful hits were too much for Olusegun. The referee stopped the fight in the tenth round, giving Lucas another win.

Matthysse vs. Peterson

On 18 May 2013, Lucas fought Lamont Peterson. This was not a title fight, but it was very important. Lucas knocked Peterson down at the end of the second round. In the third round, Lucas knocked Peterson down two more times! The referee stopped the fight after the second knockdown in the third round. Lucas won by TKO.

After this impressive win, some people in boxing said Lucas Matthysse could be the next Manny Pacquiao, a legendary boxer. This victory was considered Lucas's biggest win so far.

Matthysse vs. García

On 14 September 2013, Lucas fought Danny García. Even though Lucas was the challenger, many people thought he would win. However, García fought very well. In the middle of the fight, Lucas got an injury to his right eye. García used this to his advantage.

Lucas fought bravely, but García knocked him down in the eleventh round. This was the first time Lucas had ever been knocked down in his professional career. The fight ended with García winning by a unanimous decision from all the judges.

Matthysse vs. Postol

On 3 October 2015, Lucas was again expected to win against Viktor Postol, who had never lost a fight. But Postol used his longer reach to keep Lucas away. Postol then landed a strong punch that knocked Lucas down. Lucas did not try to get up, saying he might have injured his eye.

After this fight, Lucas took a year and a half off from boxing. He had eye surgery and needed time to recover.

Matthysse vs. Taylor

Lucas returned to the ring on 6 May 2017, fighting Emanuel Taylor. Lucas showed his power again, winning the fight by a technical knockout in the fifth round.

Matthysse vs. Kiram

In his next fight, Lucas faced Tewa Kiram, who was ranked very high in the welterweight division. Lucas won this fight by knocking out his opponent in the eighth round. This victory was important because he won the vacant WBA (Regular) welterweight title.

Matthysse vs. Pacquiao and Retirement

Lucas Matthysse defended his WBA (Regular) welterweight title against the legendary Manny Pacquiao on 15 July 2018. The fight took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Pacquiao won the fight by TKO in round 7. This was the first time in nine years that Pacquiao had finished an opponent with a knockout.

After this fight, Lucas Matthysse announced his retirement from boxing on 2 August 2018. He had a great career known for his powerful punches and exciting fights.

See also

In Spanish: Lucas Matthysse para niños