Pacquiao knocks out Matthysse to win welterweight title

Manny Pacquiao claimed the WBA (Regular) welterweight title after a seventh-round knockout of Lucas Matthysse on Sunday.

The 39-year-old, fighting for the first time since his loss to Jeff Horn in July last year, was dominant at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur.

Pacquiao was in control from the outset against Matthysse, and his knockout marked his first since 2009.

The Filipino dropped Matthysse with a left uppercut in the third round and he knocked the Argentinian down once more in the fifth.

Another huge left hand in the seventh proved the third and final knockdown as Pacquiao (60-7-2) claimed the title.

For Matthysse (39-5), it marked the 35-year-old’s first defeat since 2015.