Manny Pacquiao Takes Matthysse Fight for World Title to Malaysia

(Bloomberg) -- Manny Pacquiao will challenge Lucas Matthysse for his world championship title in a boxing match in Malaysia this July.

The contest was confirmed in a Twitter post by Oscar De La Hoya, president at Golden Boy Promotions Inc., who set July 15 for the fight in Kuala Lumpur. That’s July 14 for a U.S. evening show.

“It’s on! Can’t wait to challenge Lucas Matthysse for another world title,” Pacquiao wrote in a Twitter post.

The fight is set to be Pacquiao’s first since losing his World Boxing Organization title to Australian Jeff Horn last July. A cryptocurrency investor and an active lawmaker in the Philippines, a win by him would bring the World Boxing Association welterweight trophy back to Southeast Asia, after Matthysse took the title from Thailand’s Teerachai Sithmorseng in a January match.

Argentina’s Matthysse, 35, has had 44 fights and holds one world championship title. Pacquiao, 39, has held world championship titles in eight different weight divisions, more than any other boxer.

To contact the reporter on this story: Yudith Ho in Kuala Lumpur at yho35@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Linus Chua at lchua@bloomberg.net, Chan Tien Hin

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