FILE – INGLEWOOD, CA – JANUARY 27: Lucas Matthysse of Argentina celebrates his victory over Tewa Kiram of Thailand at The Forum on January 27, 2018 in Inglewood, California. Jeff Gross/Getty Images/AFP
Lucas Matthysse named a couple of fellow Argentinian fighters who had fought against legends.
There was Oscar Bonavena, who had his moments against the great Muhammad Ali in 1970 and former two-division champion Marcos Maidana, who gave Floyd Mayweather Jr. all he could handle in their two bouts in 2014.
Four years later, Matthysse faces a similar predicament against boxing’s only eight-division champion in Manny Pacquiao and he embraces the challenge just like his compatriots.
READ: ‘It’s on:’ Pacquiao, Matthysse set for July 15 clash in Malaysia
“Bonavena fought with Ali, ‘Chino’ Maidana with Mayweather and it’s my turn to fight Pacquiao,” Matthysse said as posted on fightnews.com. “I feel happy, it’s very exciting to fight Manny Pacquiao, a boxing legend. For me, as an athlete it’s very big to face a monster like him, to enter the ring with him.”
READ: Pacquiao: Matthysse favorite
The 35-year-old Matthysse owns an impressive record of 39-4, 36 KOs and is defending his WBA welterweight title but he’s never faced a fighter with the caliber of Pacquiao.
Pacquiao, 39, is far from the fighter he once was nearly a decade ago when he scored his last stoppage, but he’s still great in his own right.
Matthysse and Pacquiao are set to meet in the ring on July 15 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.