LONDON (April 15) – Legendary trainer Freddie Roach believes Saturday night\u2019s clash between knockout kings Ruslan Provodnikov and Lucas Matthysse is \u2018the greatest match up in the world\u2019. <\/p>\n
The pair will lock horns at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in New York, in one of the most eagerly anticipated fights of the year, live and exclusive on BoxNation. <\/p>\n
The showdown is certain to produce fireworks, with Provodnikov\u2019s Hall-of-Fame trainer Roach believing that this is a fight worthy of the attention it has garnered. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the greatest match up in the world. You\u2019ve got two guys that love to fight, two guys that are great punchers. It\u2019s going to be a very exciting fight – that\u2019s for sure,\u201d said Roach. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the best fight and the best is what we need. This is what\u2019s going on in boxing right now and that\u2019s why everything is really happening in boxing bigger than ever at this point because of fights like this,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
LA based Roach will not be in his fighter\u2019s corner this weekend, however, as he looks to prepare his star pupil Manny Pacquiao for his impending clash with pound-for-pound ace Floyd Mayweather. <\/p>\n
Though this will have little bearing on the outcome according to Roach, who will send his right-hand man Marvin Somodio to run the rule over proceedings. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe Pacquiao fight is very important right now but Ruslan is very important also. I work with him every day in the gym. He and Marvin have a good rapport together. Marvin knows what to do. He\u2019s a very good trainer,\u201d said Roach. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey understand what I want and just because I\u2019m not there it doesn\u2019t make a difference. Ruslan will still fight his fight and Marvin will make the adjustments along the way. There will be no problem whatsoever. It\u2019s not the first or last time this has happened in my life,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
31-year-old Provodnikov burst onto the scene with a scintillating performance in his narrow loss to Timothy Bradley before going on to capture the WBO light-welterweight world title from Mike Alvarado. <\/p>\n
He is now looking to get himself back into the mix for a world title shot following a split decision loss to New Yorker Chris Algieri last year and is aware of the significance of this fight not only to his career but to boxing fans. <\/p>\n
\u201cI expect the same as all the fans – this is a very exciting match up. This is going to be a great fight and I think that for me it\u2019s no less than to all the people watching. For me it\u2019s exciting as well and these types of fights are what\u2019s important,\u201d said Provodnikov. <\/p>\n
\u201cBecause for me the fight and the money as I\u2019ve said many times, they\u2019re not number one. Number one is I want my fights to be part of history, and I think this is one of those fights that is destined to be part of history. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what I want to give my people back home – these fights that people will remember because not all the fights that are world title fights are remembered. The type of fight that will happen between Matthysse and I is one that\u2019s definitely going to be remembered forever,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
Both Provodnikov and Matthysse are renowned for their come-forward aggressive style, with the Siberian stopping 17 of his 27 opponents and the Argentine Matthysse having knocked out 34 in his 36 wins. <\/p>\n
32-year-old Matthysse, who was involved in last year\u2019s \u2018Fight of the Year\u2019 with his victory over John Molina, thinks that his next battle has the potential to win another such accolade. <\/p>\n
\u201cFor last year\u2019s fight I\u2019ve got to give credit to John Molina because he came to fight and he allowed me to perform in a way that made it \u2018Fight of the Year\u2019,\u201d said Matthysse. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf Ruslan comes forward and is aggressive and does the same thing, then, yes [I think it can be another Fight of the Year]. I\u2019m going to seize that opportunity and try to take advantage of that and make it an exciting fight. I think it could be a great fight. But, you know, it takes two,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
Matthysse vs Provodnikov joins a mega night live on BoxNation this Saturday from 7pm BST, starting with Liverpool\u2019s Derry Matthews who fights for the vacant interim WBA lightweight title against Tony Luis at the Echo Arena. <\/p>\n
Unbeaten light-middleweight Liam Smith is also on the card as he takes on David Ezequiel Romero for the vacant WBO Intercontinental title. <\/p>\n
Then BoxNation heads Stateside as it brings two massive bills starting with Matthysse-Provodnikov before heading over to Arlington Texas where rising pound-for-pound star Terence Crawford looks to become a two-weight world champion as he takes on slick Puerto Rican Thomas Dulorme for the vacant WBO light-welterweight world title. <\/p>\n
Matthysse v Provodnikov is live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky 437\/490HD, Virgin 546 and TalkTalk 525) this Saturday night. Visit boxnation.com to subscribe.<\/p>\n
-Ends-
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