Members of the media are making their predictions and providing analysis for who will take the win in the surefire “Fight of the Year” candidate between Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse and “The Siberian Rocky” Ruslan Provodnikov. Though all agreed Matthysse vs. Provodnikov will be an epic encounter, one thing was clear: Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse is favored to take the win on April 18.
BRIAN CAMPBELL, ESPN.com:
“Matthysse is clearly more skilled. But this one is going to come down to who has more will. And the brutally tough and durable Provodnikov has few peers in this regard. Look for this one to live up to expectations as an all-out war.”
TIM DAHLBERG, Associated Press:
“Matthysse by TKO in what should be a slugfest. This is a fight that could easily go either way, but believe Matthysse will land the bigger punches.”
LYLE FITZSIMMONS, CBS Sports.com:
“Something’s gotta give. Matthysee will swing until an official intervention. Provodnikov will come forward through anti-tank fire. The winner will either be able to impose his will on the other, or have a varied enough game to change the dynamics. The guess here is that Matthysse at least has the latter, if not the former. Matthysse W 12.”
STEVE KIM, UCNLive.com:
“In what should be one of the best fights of 2015, if not recent years, I think we’ll see a back-and-forth battle between two of the best action fighters in the sport. And in a war of attrition, I believe it will be the superior strength and size of Provodnikov that will come out victorious after 12 fast-paced and violent rounds.”
ROBERT MORALES, Los Angeles Newspaper Group:
“I’m going to take Matthysse by late-round TKO. I just think he’s the better fighter, and he is definitely the harder puncher.”
ABRAHAM NUDELSTEJER, La Opinión:
“Matthysse, by KO in the 10th round.”
LANCE PUGMIRE, The Los Angeles Times:
“I expect the overall boxing skill of Lucas Matthysse to carry him to victory over the hard-hitting Ruslan Provodnikov. In a bout that will likely fulfill expectations of a slugfest, it’s in Matthysse’s interest to limit those exchanges and rely on a more universal skill set. By doing so, Matthysse should escape a classic by decision.”
MICHAEL ROSENTHAL, The RING Magazine:
“Fun, fun fight. I love Provodnikov’s fighting spirit but Matthysse has the same spirit and superior skills. I think the Argentine will get the better of inevitable firefights; wear Provodnikov down and either become the first to stop the Russian or win a clear decision. Matthysse by unanimous decision.”
BOB VELIN, USA Today:
“Matthysse by eighth-round TKO. This should be a slugfest for the ages. Toe-to-toe for as long as it goes and a ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate before it even starts. Matthysse gets the edge because I believe he’s got a bit more going in the boxing skills department than Provodnikov.”
MICHAEL WOODS, The Sweet Science:
“Trading. Tit for tat. Back and forth. Ebb. Flow. And I think the Siberian Rocky gets the nod, with a couple knockdowns of The Machine.”
