MANILA, Philippines — Matapos si boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya ay si Lucas Matthysse ng Argentina naman ang pinagretiro ni Filipino world eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao.
Sa panayam ng BoxingScene.com ay opisyal na inihayag ng 35-anyos na si Matthysse ang kanyang pagsasabit ng boxing gloves.
“Thanks to all those who followed me in my career, for all of their love, because that is the most beautiful thing in this sport of boxing, which is a nice environment,” ani Matthysse.
“Today, I decide to hang up the gloves because another stage in my life is coming. And many thanks to all of the people that I met thanks in boxing,” dagdag pa ng tinaguriang ‘The Machine’.
Tinalo ni Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KOs) si Matthysse (39-5-0, 36 KOs) via seventh-round TKO noong Hulyo 15 sa Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Inagaw ni Pacquiao sa 35-anyos na si Matthysse (39-5-0, 36 KOs) ang hawak nitong World Boxing Association welterweight crown.
Huling nagposte ng knockout victory si Pacquiao noong Nobyembre ng 2009 matapos pasukuin si Miguel Cotto sa 12th round para angkinin ang World Boxing Organization welterweight belt.
Si Matthysse ang ikalawang world champion na pinagretiro ni Pacquiao matapos si De La Hoya noong 2008.