By Elisinio Castillo

World Boxing Association (WBA) "regular" welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse (39-4, 34 KOs) said he wants to "retire" eight division champ Manny Pacquiao (59-7-2, 38 KOs) when they collide in the ring.

The two boxers are scheduled to fight on July 14 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in a bout set to be carried by ESPN as a pay-per-view bout.

"Hopefully I can retire Manny Pacquiao, we are prepared for that, prepared to win," said the 35-year-old Argentine puncher from Chubut.

Pacquiao will enter the ring on the back of a loss, and a one-year layoff, after dropping a twelve round decision and the WBO title to Jeff Horn last July in Brisbane, Australia.

Matthysse is aware of the risks in facing a fighter on the level of Pacquiao, but at the same time he knows that a good result will open the doors to measure himself in a rematch with Danny Garcia, who won a twelve round decision over Matthysse five years ago.

"I know that winning opens the doors of heaven for the future, but now I'm only thinking about this fight. Either I lose everything or I gain everything, that's the way it is. I am a world champion and he wants my belt; He chose me and I am the one who gives the OK to make the fight," said Matthysse.

In this regard, his manager, Mario Arano, said - "Lucas wanted to fight with the best, Pacquiao and Danny Garcia, is physically and mentally prepared to face such a rival."

In addition, Arano said that negotiations were difficult to finalize the confrontation that will take place in a closed stadium for 13 thousand people and not in the open air as the Filipino agents intended.

Consulted on how he imagines the fight playing out, Matthysse said - "I imagine parts of the fight, I like that he is a fighter like me, we must be attentive and prepared, I know that my hands in this division feel stronger. I'm not thinking about the scorecards - I'm thinking about knocking [Pacquiao] out."