Manny Pacquiao is a champion once again, returning to the ring from a year-long hiatus, to dethrone Lucas Matthysse in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KOs) had been out of action since his disputed decision loss to Jeff Horn in July 2017 and was fighting for the first time in over a decade without the services of Freddie Roach in his corner.
Still, Pacquiao looked fresh and confident, walking down the power-punching Matthysse (39-5, 36 KOs) who was making the first title defense of the WBA welterweight he earned this past January.
After two relatively even rounds to start, Pacquiao floored Matthysse in the third round with a left uppercut. Matthysse would survive the round but after a right cross to the temple, he would take a knee in the fifth.
Pacquiao would dominate the sixth round, and then in the seventh, a left uppercut would send Matthysse to the canvas for the third time, ending the fight.
The knockout was Pacquiao’s first since 2009.
