Lucas "The Machine" Matthysse, a wildly popular knockout artist out of Argentina, was last seen in the ring in September. He knocked out previously unbeaten Roberto Ortiz with a vicious body blow in the second round of a scheduled 12-round bout.
That KO came six months after he knocked out John Molina in Round 11 of a bout that will contend for 2014 Fight of the Year. It's safe to say that boxing fans want more of Matthysse, so without further ado here is a boxing fan's wish list of opponents for 2015.
Adrien Broner (29-1-0, 22 KO)
Broner has assumed the clown prince role in boxing. He has a big mouth, a knack for promoting himself in a way that denigrates his rivals, and an accomplished resume. Broner's won three titles in as many weight classes and he is just 25 years old. He looks like he is at 140 pounds to stay, and flat-out stated after his most recent win, on which Matthysse was the undercard attraction, that "The Machine" should be his next opponent.
Broner, like his "big bro" Floyd Mayweather Jr., is an attraction largely because fans tune in to see him be humbled. Marcos Maidana appeared to do that with his power punching when he handed Broner the only defeat of his career, but he's still cutting the same brash interviews. Matthysse would generate major excitement.
Danny Garcia (29-0-0, 17 KO)
Danny "Swift" Garcia is the lineal junior welterweight champion, and has already beaten Matthysse once. He upset the favored Argentine on the undercard of Mayweather's 2013 bout with Canelo Alvarez by counterpunching and taking advantage of Matthysse's eye swelling up following a head butt.
Garcia's lost momentum since then, and while facing Matthysse is a major risk to that zero in the loss column, it would earn him massive respect as well as generate a ton of interest from the boxing community.
Ruslan Provodnikov (24-3-0, 17 KO)
Fight fans love a scrap, and that's what "The Siberian Rocky" Ruslan Provodnikov offers. Few junior welterweights possess the combination of power and willingness to be struck that Prodnikov does, and it has made him a fan favorite.
His disputed loss to current WBO junior welterweight champion Chris Algieri stunted his rise up the ranks, but an easy win overseas was likely enough to get him back on American TV. If Matthysse can't lure Broner or Garcia into the ring, a fight with Provodnikov would be a fan-pleaser that would have folks dying to see both men again regardless of the outcome.
Jessie Vargas (26-0-0, 9 KO)
Vargas is the WBA junior welterweight champion, and he has a spotless record, but the list of fighters he's beaten is underwhelming. Vargas has also been the recipient of some questionable victories in Las Vegas.
A win over Matthysse would silence Vargas' growing chorus of doubters, while establishing himself as a bona fide attraction.
Jose Benavidez Jr. (22-0-0, 15 KO)
Benavidez Jr. was introduced to the boxing mainstream on the undercard of Timothy Bradley's fight with Diego Chaves, earning a widely-panned unanimous decision over veteran Mauricio Herrera.
While most who viewed the bout scored it for Herrera, the 22-year-old Benavidez was clearly the stronger and more talented fighter. It appeared that Herrera had given him a boxing lesson, but with the victory, he could be on his way to bigger fights. The fact that he "stole" a win from the scrappy underdog Herrera may pique boxing fans' desire to see Matthysse avenge Herrera with power shots as well.
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