ATLANTIC CITY — THEY won’t sell out Boardwalk Hall the way 2013 Hall of Famer Arturo Gatti once did, but the slugfest that’s likely to erupt tonight between Lamont Peterson and Lucas Matthysse would make the late warrior proud. Plenty of thunder should be exchanged when Peterson and Matthysse meet in a 141-pound catch-weight fight scheduled for 12 rounds. Showtime will televise.
Though Peterson (31-1-1, 16 KOs) is the IBF junior welterweight champion and Matthysse (33-2, 31 KOs) of Argentina is the WBC interim super lightweight champion, no title will be on the line for political reasons between the two sanctioning bodies. But that didn’t stop either boxer from making the highly anticipated bout.
“I’m fine with it because everybody knows that this is an important fight,” Matthysse said. “Whether there’s a title or no title involved, this is a very important fight.”
It matches Matthysse, a fierce knockout artist, against Peterson, who doesn’t mind taking a punch to throw a punch. The styles should make for an exciting bout for two boxers trying to climb the rankings in the rich 140-pound division that includes Danny Garcia, Mike Alvarado, Brandon Rios and Amir Khan.
“I want to prove to everyone I’m the best at the weight class,” Peterson said. “A lot of people, when you hear about the best in the weight class, they were saying his [Matthysse] name. So of course that was the person that I wanted to fight to prove myself and to let people know that someone out here wanted to fight him.”
Peterson of Washington, D.C., is coming off an eighth-round stoppage of Kendall Holt last February to retain his IBF title in his first fight since December 2011, when he won a controversial decision over Khan, but tested positive for a banned substance. The win over Holt was the first step in reclaiming his reputation. A win over Matthysse would cement it.
Though Peterson is noted as a slow starter who finishes strong, Matthysse has exceptional power in both fists and could end the bout in one punch. His two losses were both split decisions to Brooklyn’s Zab Judah and Devon Alexander of St. Louis, who is also on tonight’s card defending his IBF welterweight title against Lee Purdy of England. Since his last defeat, Matthysse has won five straight fights by stoppage.
“I’m very calm in the fights because I know what the opponents are thinking about in order to land one punch they might get caught with one of my punches,” Matthysse said. “So obviously it’s a great deal of confidence that I have because of my punch.”
Peterson said he’s not concerned about Matthysse’s power. He’s confident his defensive skills will keep him safe.
“The only thing on defense I’ll worry about, just not getting hit clean and that’s always the case in every fight,” Peterson said. “If the person can punch really hard and he hits you clean then, yes, you’re going to go out. But even if the person can’t punch that hard, if he hits you clean you can go out. So I mostly concentrate on not getting hit clean and that’s what I’ll do in this fight.”
Alexander (24-1, 13 KOs) will be looking to steal the show against Purdy (20-3-1, 13 KOs, a late replacement for Kell Brook, who had to pull out because of an injury.
“It doesn’t matter what Lee Purdy is going to bring,” Alexander said. “He’s in the wrong place at the wrong time. I’m ready to fight. This fight will lead to bigger and better things.”
Plenty of tickets priced from $25 to $250 remain available.
PREDICTIONS: Peterson by close decision in thriller. Alexander by TKO in 8.