Viktor Postol is playing psychological games with Terence Crawford

Viktor Postol/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

 

Viktor Postol is coming off a 10th-round knockout of hard-hitting Lucas Matthysse this past October at StubHub Center. Postol is now just eight days from a junior welterweight title-unification bout against Terence Crawford on July 23 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas (on HBO pay-per-view).

It sounds like Postol is trying to get into Crawford’s head by suggesting that Matthysse is a better fighter than Crawford, who has won titles in two weight classes and possesses a record of 28-0 with 20 knockouts.

It is my subjective opinion, but it is my opinion from what I have seen and from the opposition that Matthysse has had before he fought me and the opposition that Crawford has had,” Postol said this week during a conference call. “I think that Matthysse is a better fighter and more experienced fighter.”

Postol (28-0, 12 KOs) won his title with the win over Matthysse.

 

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Viktor Postol recalls big night when he knocked out Lucas Matthysse in 10th

Victor Postol celebrates his knockout victory over Lucas Matthysse to win the vacant WBC super lightweight title Saturday at the StubHub Center. (Photo by Gene Blevins)

Viktor Postol wears his new championship belt after winning the junior welterweight title with a 10th-round knockout of Lucas Matthysse on Oct. 3 at StubHub Center/Photo by Gene Blevins

 

You can bet that when Viktor Postol took on Lucas Matthysse for a vacant junior welterweight title this past Oct. 3 at StubHub Center in Carson, more fans expected Matthysse to emerge victorious than Postol.

But it was Postol who stunned the crowd by knocking out Matthysse in the 10th round to win the championship.

Postol, who will take on Terence “Bud” Crawford (28-0, 20 KOs) on July 23 in a title-unification bout at MGM Grand in Las Vegas (on HBO pay-per-view), on Monday recalled that special night.

“The fight with Matthysse was my most challenging and memorable because it was my first world championship fight and I was fighting for the title against one of the strongest punchers in the division,” Postol said from the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, where he is trained by Freddie Roach. “The importance of this fight for my career and my life was not lost on me.”

Matthysse (37-4, 34 KOs) has a knockout ratio of 81 percent, so the thinking was if anyone was going to win by knockout, it would be him because Postol (28-0, 12 KOs) has a knockout ratio of just 43 percent.

Roach couldn’t say enough about his fighter’s work.

“It was a very good performance,” Roach said. “We were in charge of the fight the whole time. Viktor followed the game plan perfectly. I remember before the last round I told our corner that Matthysse was very tired and ready to go out. He was coming in with his head leaning down.”

 

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Covina’s John Molina, always confident, preparing for another big fight

5. Adrien Broner vs. John Molina

Adrien Broner, left, and John Molina of Covina will tangle March 7 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas/Photo by Seth Wenig, Associated Press

 

John Molina of Covina has lost his past two fights, but they were to former interim world champion Lucas Matthysse and former world champion Humberto Soto and Molina gave both of them a hard time, so there is no shame there.

Molina decked Matthysse twice in their fight in April 2014 at StubHub Center before Matthysse knocked out Molina in an absolute thriller. It was so thrilling that Wednesday the Boxing Writers Association of America named it Fight of the Year for 2014.

Molina (27-5, 22 KOs) was defeated via unanimous decision by Soto, losing by three, three and five points on the scorecards this past September at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Molina’s competitiveness against those fighters as well as his courage and heavy punch are probably why he’s getting another big fight. That will be March 7 against another former champion – Adrien Broner – at MGM Grand in Las Vegas (on NBC).

Molina on Wednesday played host to a media workout at Justin Fortune’s gym in Hollywood. As usual, he was confident.

“The Soto fight was a learning experience,” Molina said. “But going in as the underdog is about going in and doing your job. I’ve had a lot of success as an underdog. I just took the positives from my last fight and tried to make the best of it and now I’m here today with the golden ticket in my hand.

“To see where I’m at today after all I’ve gone through in my career, I’m in awe sometimes. But we’re just barely getting started.”

 

 

 

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Golden Boy announces card that will include Covina’s John Molina in big fight

Golden Boy Promotions has announced it will play host to a Showtime tripleheader to be contested April 26 at StubHub Center in Carson.

The main event will feature Keith “One Time” Thurman defending his interim welterweight title against Julio Diaz.

Also, Omar Figueroa will defend his lightweight title against Jerry Belmontes. And John Molina of Covina will take on former junior welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse in a 10-round fight. Molina (27-3, 22 KOs) and Matthysse (34-3, 32 KOs) have 54 knockouts between them, so that figures to be a fight that does not go the distance.

“I am excited to showcase myself against someone that I consider to be one of the best fighters in the world at 140 pounds,” said Molina, who has campaigned mostly as a lightweight. He is a graduate of Charter Oak High.

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Danny Garcia, Lucas Matthysse make weight underneath Mayweather-Alvarez

With all the hoopla surrounding Saturday’s junior middleweight title fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez at MGM Grand in Las Vegas (on Showtime pay-per-view), let’s not forget that there is one heck of a semi-main event.

In it, Danny Garcia of Philadelphia will defend his two super lightweight titles against Lucas Matthysse of Argentina. It’s expected to be a hard-hitting thriller.

Garcia and Matthysse both made weight Friday before 12,200 at MGM Grand, unheard of attendance for a weigh-in. Garcia tipped the scales at the 140-pound limit on the second try. He wore a surprised look on his face when it was announced he first weighed in at 140 1/2. He got off, got back on only seconds later and it was announced he weighed 140.

It was kind of weird, as reporters talking among themselves laughed, saying things like, “I wish I could lose weight that quickly.”

Matthysse weighed 140.

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Lucas Matthysse will meet and greet fans prior to Arreola-Mitchell in Indio

Lucas Matthysse of Argentina will meet and greet fans next Saturday at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio prior to the heavyweight fight there between Chris Arreola and Seth Mitchell (on Showtime).

Matthysse will challenge Danny Garcia for his two junior welterweight belts Sept. 14 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas on the undercard of the junior middleweight title fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Saul :”Canelo” Alvarez (on Showtime pay-per-view).

Matthysse will take pictures with fans and sign autographs between 6 and 7 p.m. inside the Special Events Center. Those with tickets to the fight will be allowed entrance.

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Danny Garcia: This was not supposed to be his time, but he made it his time

Junior welterweight champion Danny Garcia of Philadelphia was recently asked why, in his mind, there are still those out there who don’t quite yet believe he’s an elite fighter.

His answer was different, yet probably right on the money.

“I really don’t know because I feel like I’m before my time; a lot of people still don’t understand it because I’m not supposed to be here right now,” said Garcia, who Sept. 14 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas will defend his two championship belts against Lucas Matthysse of Argentina. “It wasn’t supposed to be my time right now. I made it my time. I took it and the people still don’t understand it, but I’m just going to keep building my legacy and proving myself.”

Garcia is right. He was flying under the radar, a victory over aging Erik Morales to win his first 140-pound belt in March 2012 notwithstanding. Morales was looked upon as past his prime, so while Garcia was given credit, no one was really singing his praises all that much afterward.

Then Garcia, 25, stopped fellow champion Amir Khan – in his prime – in the fourth round in July 2012. Too many, Garcia had arrived. Garcia knocked out Morales in the fourth round in a rematch in October. Garcia slugged it out for 12 rounds with Zab Judah and retained his two belts via unanimous decision in April in his most recent start.

Garcia (26-0, 16 KOs) also has victories over Kendal Holt in October 2011 and Nate Campbell in April 2011.

Garcia-Matthysse (34-2, 32 KOs) will be televised by Showtime pay-per-view on the undercard of the junior middleweight main event between Floyd Mayweather Jr. (44-0, 26 KOs) and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (42-0-1, 30 KOs) of Mexico.

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Trainer Angel Garcia: Lucas Matthysse does not instill fear in him, or son Danny

Trainer Angel Garcia has quickly gained a reputation as a tough-guy who isn’t afraid to speak his mind, regardless of what anyone thinks. It therefore wasn’t surprising to hear his thoughts this week about his son Danny Garcia’s upcoming junior welterweight title defense against hard-hitting Lucas Matthysse on Sept. 14 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The fight will take place on the undercard of Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and will be televised on Showtime pay-per-view.

Matthysse, of Argentina, is one of the hardest punchers in the game, pound-for-pound. He has a record of 34-2 with 32 knockouts. No problem, intimated Angel Garcia, who trains his son.

“My job is not to worry about Matthysse,” Angel Garcia said. “I am not worried. He doesn’t put fear in me. His coach doesn’t put fear in me. His people don’t put fear in me. His country doesn’t put fear in me. Nobody puts fear in me. The only one I fear is God.

“Nobody is beating us, not right now, not tomorrow and not in the future.  Believe this, on Sept. 14, Matthysse is going to get his (butt) whooped.”

Although Philadelphia’s Garcia (26-0, 20 KOs) is the champion, there is no shortage of experts who believe Matthysse could be the first one to hand Garcia a defeat. Again, Angel Garcia seems unfazed.

“Danny is the most underrated champion there is and I am the most underrated trainer,” Angel Garcia said. “But it doesn’t matter to me. As long as I know and as long as Danny knows and we’re happy, then I don’t care what the world says.

“You can love me or hate me, but it doesn’t matter. I believe in me and I believe in Danny.  I always tell Danny that hard work and dedication pay the bills.”

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Danny Garcia: If Lucas Matthysse tries to open up early, he’s going down

The punching power of Argentina’s Lucas Matthysse has become a hot topic in boxing circles, especially after the way he dismantled Lamont Peterson in three rounds in May in Atlantic City. That gave Matthysse a record of 34-2 with 32 knockouts.

But Danny Garcia (26-0, 20 KOs), who will defend his two junior welterweight titles against Matthysse on Sept. 14 on the undercard of Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Saul “Canelo” Alvarez at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, is unfazed. So he says.

“As for Matthysse, he has power, but I have power, too,” Garcia, of Philadelphia, said after a workout this week. “I fought a lot of guys with power. Trust me, I plan to take away his power, make him miss and make him pay.

“If he opens up early to try to get me out of there, trust me, he’s making a big mistake. He tries that and the fight’s going to be over quickly.”

The card will be televised on Showtime pay-per-view.

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