ATLANTIC CITY — Having lost two controversial split decisions against marquee opposition, Lucas Matthysse figured his best chance to ensure victory at Boardwalk Hall last night was to take matters into his own hands. His left hand, to be exact.
Matthysse of Argentina dropped Lamont Peterson three times with left hooks, including twice in the third round when he won by technical knockout after referee Steve Smoger stopped the bout at the 2:14 mark. Peterson of D.C. was in no condition to continue, unable to hold up on Matthysse’s power punching.
“I used the first round to feel him out and started connected by the second round,” Matthysse said. “I knew once I dropped him, he felt how strong I was. Now we all know who the best 140-pound fighter is. No one has dominated Peterson like that.”
Peterson had no real complaints about the stoppage.
“I got a little lazy with my jab in there,” he said. “I felt as if I could have kept going, but he hit me with some good shots. I guess he was the better man.”
Matthysse’s only losses have come by split decision to Zab Judah and Devon Alexander, who successfully defended his IBF welterweight title last night with a seventh-round stoppage of Lee Purdy the U.K.
“I gained a lot of experience from the two losses against Zab and Devon,” Matthysse said, “and now I know I have to win by knockout.”
Peterson (31-2-1, 16 KOs) holds the IBF junior welterweight title and Matthysse (34-2, 32 KOs) entered as the interim WBC super lightweight champion, but there was no belt on the line last night because of political reasons between the two sanctioning bodies.
Instead, it was a made for TV match-up with the knockout artist Matthysse against the crafty and willing-to-trade punches Peterson. It was Peterson’s first fight since defeating Kendall Holt by an eighth-round stoppage in February. Prior to that, Peterson hadn’t fought since his controversial win over Amir Khan in December 2011.
Peterson was aware of Matthysse’s knockout ratio, but expected his defensive skills would be enough to keep him from getting hit with a devastating punch. He was able to do that in the first round, but Matthysse caught Peterson with a left hook to the temple midway through the second round, sending Peterson slumping to the canvas.
Peterson got up on wobbly legs, and survived the round. Matthysse tried to finish Peterson early in the third unleashing a barrage of punches. Peterson covered up and seemed up to the challenge. But midway through the round Matthysse unleashed a thunderous left hook that caught Peterson flush on the chin sending him back on the canvas. It looked like Peterson wouldn’t beat the count as he toppled over before getting to his feet.
But Smoger allowed the fight to continue. It was over in seconds as Matthysse connect with another left that sent Peterson stumbling into the ropes. Smoger immediately stopped the bout.
“We have a new Manny Pacquiao from Argentina and his name is Lucas Matthysse,” said Richard Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boys Promotions. “Words can’t describe how exciting and how hungry this guy is.”
Schaefer mentioned matching Matthysse with WBC junior welterweight champion Danny Garcia. “That’s the fight I want to make,” Schaefer said.