But familiar with the Bakersfield, California native from his amateur days, I myself thought that the fighter who goes by the moniker “The Silent Assassin” had a chance to pull it out by way of utilizing his boxing skills, while for the most part he would have to avoid the Mexican fighter.
Both Teddy and I couldn’t have been more wrong as Dallas Jr. (19-2-1, 8 KO’s) would proceed to pound his latest adversary into submission within six rounds. Apparently and according to his recently acquired trainer at the time Virgil Hunter, Michael was more about getting his punches off with speed so that Virgil would have his latest charge slow it down a bit and focus more on placing his punches with authority.
The end result had shown up against Castro in a convincing victory whereby which not only would “The Silent Assassin” capture a fringe title, but he had perhaps come to discover another dimension to go along with his boxing prowess. At this juncture Dallas Jr. looked to be on his way, the trouble being that with Michael ranked number 10 by the WBO and no one else, in a high risk low reward scenario, what fighter of note would want to take him on.
Enter Buenos Aires, Argentina slugger Lucas Martin Matthysse (32-2, 30 KO’s), the number 1 ranked junior welterweight in the world who would abruptly have his January 19th scheduled fight with Philadelphia’s “Hammerin” Hank Lundy pulled out from under him. Evidently the Matthysse Camp thought well enough of Dallas Jr. to have him fill in, affording him a chance opportunity of a lifetime for which the Bakersfield native feels he’s more than ready.
With the jury still out on whether Michael Dallas Jr. has successfully crossed over to become more of a boxer puncher, what is for certain is that aside from being pumped for a fight that in victory would put him on the doorstep of a major title, “The Silent Assassin” sadly has an added motivation.
With the untimely and premature death this past November of his father Mike Dallas Sr. who would succumb to Leukemia at the young age of 45, Michael is no doubt dedicating this fight to a man who would not only help forge him into the boxer he is today, but the very man he has become.
Whether all the above will be enough to propel underdog Michael Dallas Jr. past a dangerously tough knockout artist in Lucas Matthysse is yet be determined. What is certain though is that a win for Michael by any means whatsoever would simply prove to be a major upset, conjuring up in my mind memories of one James “Buster” Douglas, who under a similar set of circumstances with the loss of his mother prior to the biggest bout of his career, would seize the moment to knock off an overwhelming favorite in the form of one “Iron” Mike Tyson.
This would assuredly make for a great story line except for the fact that Lucas Matthysse, a man who many think will even be too much for Ring Magazine’s reigning 140 champion Danny Garcia, has other plans. Matthysse since his close and somewhat controversial loss to current IBF welterweight champion Devon Alexander in mid 2011 has been on a serious roll, stopping his last four opponents before the distance, to include among them former two-division world champion Humberto Soto, as well as the highly touted Nigerian fighter Ajose Olusegun.
And with the hammer fisted Argentinian looking to garner his biggest payday yet by way of perhaps taking on the winner between aforementioned WBA/WBC title holder Danny Garcia and former world champion Zab Judah who are set to clash on February 9th in Brooklyn, New York, Matthysse is no doubt going to do everything within his power to see that nothing interrupts those potential plans by first knocking off his upcoming opponent.
Style wise Lucas is a no-nonsense come forward banger who quite skilled can take it as well as dish it out even better so that in the most pivotal fight of his career, “The Silent Assassin” will have his hands full. I don’t know how effective Michael will be as far as throwing power shots but I’m quite sure that he’ll have to mix his attack endlessly, boxing outside as the lengthier fighter while at times he’s going to have to tie up or smother Matthysse to keep him guessing as well as off balance and out of rhythm.
And if what new found power Dallas Jr. has is not sufficiently deterrent, he can in now way allow Lucas to get a consistent beat on him or a well conditioned and doggedly determined Argentine will wear him down with an eye towards taking him out, a feat Matthysse has accomplished in 30 of his 32 victories.
Speaking of stoppages, finishing off his opponent is more than likely a certain aim of Matthysse, who uncomfortable in allowing fights to go to the scorecards, doesn’t always if ever feel the judges have his best interests in mind.
Tough, gritty, and formidable as the Argentinian is for anyone, I like Dallas Jr.’s chances if, and only if, he’s either able to work from all the way out with the slight reach advantage he has, or all the way in behind his shoulders where he would have to beat Matthysse to the punch, to then angle away. Anything less will end perilously for the upset minded fighter who must limit his mistakes big time or suffer the consequences.
In finality I care not to make any specific prediction but suffice it to say I’m leaning in the direction of Matthysse to do damage and emerge triumphant for his efforts, with Dallas Jr. finding a way to win not out of the realm of possibility. For whatever transpires and however long it lasts, it will be more of an entertaining scrap than most would of thought, with of course the winner moving on to bigger and better things.
Matthysse vs. Dallas Jr. is a 12-round bout for the WBC interim junior welterweight title and will take place at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada this Saturday January 26th, to be telecast on Showtime Championship Boxing beginning live at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).
