By Ian S. Palmer
Lucas Matthysse of Argentina is set to slug it out with Nigeria’s Ajose Olusegun at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas this Saturday Sept. 8th.The hard-punching Matthysse carries a 31-2 record around with him along with 29 KOs. Olusegun is unbeaten at 30-0, but doesn’t possess the same power as evidenced by his 14 KOs. The 12-round bout will be for the interim WBC Jr. Welterweight title.
The 29-year-old Matthysse has been beaten by ex-world champions Zab Judah and Devon Alexander by close, controversial decisions and many fans felt he was robbed both times. He’s also scored impressive KOs over DeMarcus Corley and Humberto Soto with his last bout against Soto in June. He turned pro in 2004 and suffered his first loss to Judah in 2010. His first 22 bouts were all KOs other than one disqualification. None of those bouts went longer than four rounds.
The 32-year-old southpaw Olusegun turned pro in 2001 and has been fighting mostly out of Britain. You’d have a hard time recognizing the names of any of his opponents and if you’re going by level of competition he looks to be in way over his head against Matthysse. His last bout was a 12-round unanimous decision against Ali Chebah about a year ago.
Olusegun will likely be suffering from a bit of ring rust. He’s not that great defensively ad he throws wide punches, must like George foreman used to do early in his career. If he leaves himself open while throwing one he’s likely to get clocked by the Argentinean. If he has the chin to stand up to Matthysse then it’s possible he could pull off an upset. He’s definitely got the heart and courage as he’s a member of the Nigerian Army.
Olusegun said Matthysse is definitely his toughest test to date and also agreed that he was robbed against Alexander and Judah. He admitted that he doesn’t know much about his opponent, but feels his southpaw style could give him some problems. The Nigerian believes his skills and experience will carry him through this bout and he’s been waiting for a title shot for four years and isn’t about to let it slip through his fingers.
Matthysse has only won two fights by decision and he’s lost two that way as well. If he doesn’t knock Ajose out it could be a long and frustrating night for him. Matthysse obviously prefers his bouts to turn into brawls since that represents his best chance of winning. Olusegun might be tempted to oblige him since he’s out to impress the American fans as well as those watching on TV. He needs to make a name for himself so fans will be interested in paying to see him.
Again, this fight will likely come down to Olusegun’s chin. If it’s made of granite he’s got a decent chance of winning. If ‘he’s got a glass jaw he won’t last the distance. But even if it’s somewhere in between, Matthysse will likely stop him in the second half of the fight.
