On September 14th Floyd Mayweather put on a master class of boxing against a strong challenger in Canelo Alvarez, but Danny Garcia's victory over the "Argentine Machine" Lucas Matthysse was arguably the more impressive win.
Garcia entered the bout as an undefeated champion, yet Las Vegas oddsmakers still pegged him for an underdog. He shook off the doubt, and won a hard-fought battle with Matthysse, even if there was some officiating controversy in the mix.
Garcia's victory figured to put him in line for a shot at Floyd Mayweather, and a career-high payday; Showtime seems to have other plans, though, that include Amir Khan, whom Garcia knocked out in 2012.
Fellow British fighter Ricky Hatton supported Khan as a viable opponent for Mayweather. "I'll be made up if Amir fights Mayweather Jr.," Hatton said. "Mayweather is running out of opponents, he's been that good and if anyone deserves a shot it's Amir Khan. There are very few fighters who can match him in speed."
Hatton might have a better sense than most about what might get to "Money." The pound-for-pound king knocked him out in 2007. "Normally people fly at Floyd but if Amir can jab, move and keep out the way and, if Floyd has to be the attacker, it could be different.
"I don't think he'll beat him and I don't think Amir will mind me saying that. I think most would class him as an underdog but it will certainly be interesting if Amir swallows his pride for one fight and doesn't go to war. If he keeps his head and boxes you never know."
Khan and Mayweather's teams have denied the fight rumors, but Khan's pulled out of his December bout with Devon Alexander, and Showtime execs have publicly stated interest in making the match happen. This leaves Garcia out in the cold, possibly forcing him into a potentially dangerous rematch with Matthysse. After his victory, he had proclaimed he was done as a 140-lb. fighter.
"I beat the best fighters at 140. What else do you want me to do?" said Garcia. "I beat everybody at 140. I beat two guys that I wasn't supposed to beat, and I beat them, in fashion."
Now though, Matthysse might get his chance to right the wrongs caused by Garcia's low blows and refereeing advantage. After the loss, Matthysse's manager Mario Arano said, "In 45-to-60 days, Lucas will be ready to start training. Right now his eye is being treated by his personal doctor. He will return to Los Angeles in 20-to-25 days to meet with Golden Boy [CEO Richard Schaefer] and [matchmaker] Eric Gomez to see what's next."
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