MANNY Pacquiao carded his 60th victory after stopping Argentina’s Lucas Matthysse in the seventh round to snatch the WBA regular welterweight title at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was his first knockout win in nine years.
The 39-year-old senator proved to naysayers that you cannot count him out just yet as he downed the Argentinian champion in Rounds 3, 5 and 7.
“I’m surprised because he is a tough opponent and I knocked him down,” Pacquiao said.
The win was a complete turnaround from his loss to Jeff Horn in 2017, where he lost the WBO welterweight belt.
Pacquiao’s record improved to 60 win, 39 by knockouts, 7 losses, and 2 draws.
Pacquiao said that they will be looking into who his next opponent will be and will be discussing it with his team soon. Right now, he is more keen on returning to his senatorial duties.
“Right now I’m happy to go back to my country to celebrate this victory and to do my job as a public servant,” he said.
Matthysse for his part said that the most difficult part of the fight is fighting Pacquiao.
“The most difficult part is fighting Pacquiao. He is a great fighter and a great champion. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. Today, I lost to Manny Pacquiao, a legend, a great champion,” said Matthysse, who absorbed his first loss since 2015.
Meanwhile, Cebu-based fighter Jhack Tepora is finally a world champion.
Tepora, 25, stops Mexico's Edivaldo Ortega in Round 9, for the Interim WBA featherweight title.