Pacquiao TKOs Matthysse in 7th round in dominant win

Manny Pacquiao put in a vintage performance to score a seventh round technical knockout victory over Lucas Matthysse on Sunday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

It was the first stoppage win since 2009 for Pacquiao, who scored his 60th victory against seven defeats and two draws.

Pacquiao won the World Boxing Association welterweight title in his first fight since a defeat to Australian Jeff Horn in Brisbane last year.

The Filipino ring icon showed the mix of speed and aggression that made him a global boxing draw early, flustering Matthysse with his hand speed early in the fight. Pacquiao sent Matthysse to the canvas with a combination in the third round, which turned out to be the beginning of the end for the hard-hitting Argentinian.

Pacquiao outclassed Matthysse through the rest of the bout, dancing in and out of danger to pepper the Argentinian with combinations. With seconds left in the fifth round, Matthysse went down on his knee to avoid further danger.

Matthysse hit Pacquiao with a low blow to begin the sixth, forcing referee Kenny Bayless to call time. But the hit just seemed to energize the 39-year-old Pacquiao, who carried on  his attack in more furious fashion.

The end finally came in the seventh round, as Matthysse finally succumbed to multiple-punch combinations from Pacquiao.

Pacquiao, who trained for the bout in General Santos City in time off from his duties as senator, refused to discuss plans for his next fight. An ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, Pacquiao said his priority would be his work as a legislator in his return to the Senate.

Pacquiao dedicated the win to the Filipino people and to President Rodrigo Duterte, who was at the venue to watch the fight before a scheduled meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. —JST, GMA News

IN PHOTOS: Pacquiao vs. Matthysse