Danger Zone: Why Lucas Matthysse is the Next Great Power Puncher

It’s Lebron James finishing a fast break; Adrian Peterson running over a linebacker; Rafael Nadal sprinting to the net to put away a match. As captivating as each one of those highlights is, nothing is as scintillating as the moment a perfect punch lands, whether it’s a paralyzing body shot or a debilitating left hook.

Occasionally, it is not even the punch itself, but the opponent’s reaction that creates a stir: a leg shaking uncontrollably on the canvas, or a fighter collapsing helplessly through the ropes.

Heavyweight dynamo Mike Tyson perfected the one-punch knockout in his prime, and the incomparable knockout artist Tommy Hearns bludgeoned opponents as a stalking welterweight and middleweight.

Other one-punch knockout artists such as former featherweight champ Naseem. Hamed and junior middleweight champ Julian Jackson also left countless bodies in their wake before their careers ended.

While Hamed could be a brilliant tactician when he wanted, and could knock opponents out moving backwards, Jackson’s lightning right hand proved to be as vicious as his left hook. Jackson, like Hearns, stood upright and measured his victims; Hamed relied on movement and angles.

Each of those fighters displayed skills that separated them from their counterparts; however, skill-wise there isn’t anything that separates WBC interim super lightweight champ Lucas Matthysse from the current 140-pound pack—except an indomitable will. That may just be enough when he steps into the ring tonight to face IBF junior welterweight champion Lamont Peterson in a 12-round non-title bout.

Watching Matthysse wear down an opponent is appealing to an audience because even the punches that don’t land cleanly appear to do significant damage. No one in the sport can display that same consistent power surge from the opening to the final bell.

Yet, Matthysse isn’t nearly as physically imposing as Jackson was, can’t box like Hamed once did, and doesn’t possess the speed of another knockout by attrition king in Roberto Duran. Defensively, Matthysse adopts the old adage of his best defense is a good offense. In fact, he holds his hands low, and rarely, if ever, attempts to use head movement.

When it comes to stalking his opponent, Matthysse is as unassuming as they come for power punchers. He doesn’t move as well as Duran did, or corner his opponent as deftly as Pacquiao does, but it doesn’t seem to matter.Ultimately, whether he plods ahead or forces the action, Matthysse gets to where he needs to be and puts himself into position to land that knockout punch.

The great punchers of this generation have the ability to knock out an opponent with one punch, but also can carry their power into the later rounds. Unfortunately for his opponents, the late Alexis Arguello punched with the same force in the 13th round as he did in the first round.

Although he will never be the precise puncher that Arguello was, Matthysse can still blister an opponent late. Tonight, Peterson, who recovered well in his last victory over Kendall Holt, will stand and punch with Matthysse until it becomes unbearable. Then, he will be forced to move and stay out of range. As good and resilient as Peterson is, he is not the ultra-slick type of fighter that gives Matthysse problems. Eventually, Matthysse will hunt him down, stop him, and add another notch to his impressive résumé.

Christian Giudice is the author of “Beloved Warrior: The Rise and Fall of Alexis Arguello” and “Hands of Stone: The Life and Legend of Roberto Duran”