If
you appreciate boxing, you are a Lamont Peterson fan. If you are
inspired by character, you are a Lamont Peterson fan. If you are dazzled
by tangible expression of the infinite potential of the human spirit,
you are a Lamont Peterson fan.
For those unfamiliar with Lamont
and are eager to witness firsthand the authenticity of these claims,
tune in on May 18th, as he will showcase his pugilistic pedigree and
indomitable spirit.
The IBF champion will face brutal power
puncher Lucas Matthysse, the WBC interim champ, in a guaranteed classic.
Both men are champions but due to boxing politics, it will be contested
at 141 pounds so no titles are on the line.
The
Argentine is a stalker who systematically breaks down his opponents
with relentless pressure. Peterson, the Washington D.C. native, has
proven he neither breaks nor backs down—the recipe for a clash of epic
proportions.
The mental strength that powers Peterson through
tough moments in fights comes from intense visual preparation and life
experience.
Lamont Peterson (No. 2) vs. Lucas Matthysse (No. 1)
12 rounds - 141-pound catchweight
12 rounds - 141-pound catchweight
“It is something that I work on every day before I sleep, and when I wake up, I imagine being in the fight. I see the tough moments of the fight. Anything can happen in a fight. You might get tired. You might get cut. You might get knocked down. I go over all of that. When the situation does happen in the fight, I am ready for it, because I have seen it and thought about it. It is no problem for me to have problems in a fight, because I know it’s not over till it’s over.”
Lamont
utilized this tactic when he won his title, dethroning the darling of
the UK, Olympic silver medalist Amir Khan; he was not supposed to do
that.
The fight proved to be Lamont’s coming-out party to mainstream boxing fans, but hardcore fans knew already how gritty and determined he is. However, he was still a heavy underdog, as Khan was coming off a knockout destruction of Zab Judah and looked to be too skilled and too fast for Peterson. Khan was the heir apparent to Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao—until he met an unbreakable will.
Khan
was ahead early in the fight, but Lamont refused to go away. His will
changed the momentum of the fight, and that daily mental envisioning
delivered him through the tough spots. It was obvious to all that that
he broke Khan. His self-belief in that fight is what made him beloved by
people all over the world.
“I definitely don’t want to lose. I
know until that final bell rings, I have a chance and I try to do
whatever I can do to change the fight. A lot of the times the fight
comes down to who is going to give up first.”
That mantra allowed
him to win enough rounds to earn the win and the title. This disrupted
pound-for-pound rankings and derailed mega-blockbuster PPV bouts, but
Lamont is a living testament to what the underdog can achieve.
Lamont
grew up in a large family and faced financial challenges. As a result,
he ended up living in shelters, then with relatives, and then in
friends’ houses, cars and bus stations. Do not expect to hear him
wallowing in self-pity.
“At the end of it all, now that we are out
of it, all of my family are out of that and are successful now, so now I
can say I am glad for it all. I am happy for the experience and I would
not change it. It made me a better person. A tougher person. Sometimes
in the fight, when things are going rough, I go back to my memory of the
hard times in my past.”
The
twenty-nine year old proved he was tough in his last bout with Kendall
Holt. The champion defended his title for the first time and did so
impressively; he stopped Holt via knockout in the eighth round. While it
may have appeared that he was losing the early part of the fight, he
was actually implementing a strategy.
“I am a thinker first. I
might see a shot but not use it until later in the fight. If I do the
same shot three times in a row, my opponent will now read that. I use
feints and mix things up.”
Lucas Martin Matthysse has a killer record of 33-2 with one no-contest. His two losses are highly controversial. Many people feel he won both of his split-decision losses to Zab Judah and Devon Alexander. What is undeniable is his pressure and power.
Thirty-one of Matthysse’s
wins have come by knockout. The incredible knockout rate makes him a
very dangerous challenge for anyone. The lone knock against the machine
that has won five in a row via knockout since his last decision loss to
Alexander is that he lacked killer instinct in the later rounds. This is
when Lamont has proven to be at his best.
“We are all human. I
might get tired, my opponent might get tired. Sometimes it comes down to
who is going to give up first. Who is going to give in. I am going to
keep chopping at him and make sure that I am not the one who is going to
give in.”
Congrats
to Golden Boy for making this fight. It will be electric. This
transcends sports. All people should come watch and be inspired by the
heart of a champion and learn the life lessons that Peterson shows
through his art. Even Lamont is excited for this fight.
“This should be a great fight. A battle. I’m excited for this fight and I hope everyone else is.”
This
is a very tough fight for anyone in the world. Win or lose, Peterson
has many options available to him because of his talent and marketable
fighting style. As neither title is on the line, he will walk out as the
champ regardless of the outcome. The 140/147 pound division is the
deepest in boxing. Some options for him will be lucrative and dynamic
bouts with: Mike Alvarado, Zab Judah, Juan Manuel Marquez, Devon
Alexander, Danny Garcia, Zab Judah, Amir Khan, Timothy Bradley, Marcos
Maidana, The same can also be said for Matthysse.
Fans love knockouts and Lucas delivers knockouts. A win over Peterson will also put him in line for some marquee bouts against the aforementioned fighters. The winner is expected to fight Danny Garcia and to be recognized as the 140 pound king. Expect both fighters to give a great show and to walk out of the ring not only with their titles but as champions of the sport.
Lamont’s 31-1-1 record, his IBF title
and his viewer- friendly style will help facilitate mega fights in the
future. More importantly, the champ is more than a clever slogan to
inspire; he is a living example. He ,shows people through physical
manifestation of heart to keep fighting in life.
What happens when
an Argentine wrecking machine collides with steel-like determination?
Full on action. Fans will find out the details on May 18 in Atlantic
City. The message that the champ has for his fans is to thank them for
their support. He is a real-life Rocky story, and his message to people
is far greater than any athletic achievement.
2013, Boxing, Lucas Matthysse vs Lamont Peterson, Lucas Matthysse vs Lamont Peterson live, Live, live-stream, online, PC, sports Edit tags, stream, Streaming, tv, watch
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