Lucas Matthysse wants to fight the best Manny Pacquiao this July 15 when they face off in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for the welterweight championship of the World Boxing Association held by the Argentinian. In a report sent from his camp in California, the South American idol said he feels nothing but respect for Pacquiao but that he also deserves respect, and therefore promised a good fight with the Filipino.

“I expect the same Manny Pacquiao as always. He is a respectable champion, but I am also the same. I’ve been fighting for a long time. I know he also has a lot of experience. It’s going to be a great fight, and I hope to see the same Manny Pacquiao who was watching on television before. Now I’m going to have him in the ring with me. This is something very important for me and for my career,” said Matthysse (39-4, 36 KOs), who was crowned just last January after defeating the Thai fighter Tewa Kiram.

“I already have a month concentrated in the United States after training for two months in Argentina. I still have a month and a half left, and I’m preparing very well. We are very focused on this fight, and people will see the same Lucas Matthysse, who always looks for a good fight. It is a contest that I like because of our similar styles and because we are of the same height,” said the World Champion.

Lastly, he pointed out that he is very motivated for the fight of his life, and said that with the help of Joel Díaz, he has achieved a solid level. “After my last defeat with Viktor Postol, I decided to take a break for almost nine months where I forgot about boxing. After having lost with Postol, I knew I wanted to go back, but I did not know where. I had known Joel Díaz for a long time, so I decided to start my career with him again in the United States,” he concluded.