Fans of brawls over the "sweet science" will be happy to hear that Lucas "The Machine" Matthysse is nearing a deal to fight Ruslan "The Siberian Rocky" Provodnikov this year.
Provodnikov recently told World Boxing News that he would love to face Matthysse, who is considered one of the most avoided fighters in boxing. "I definitely hope to fight Lucas Matthysse," Provodnikov said.
"A fight with him has been one of my dream matchups for some time and I think it will be a great, great fight. "It will be 100% a war! I think that this is the type of fight where one of us will not walk out of the ring on their own two feet."
Matthysse has rebounded well from a close loss to Danny "Swift" Garcia in 2013 with two consecutive knockout victories. His most recent win was a quick KO of previously undefeated Roberto Ortiz. Before that, he engaged John Molina Jr. in one of the best fights of 2014, which ended with a Matthysse victory in Round 11. He was knocked down twice in that battle.
Provodnikov hasn't been on American television since the summer of 2014, when he controversially lost his WBO junior welterweight belt to Chris Algieri. His last fight was on November 28 in Moscow, in which he battered an over-the-hill Jose Luis Castillo and finished him in the fifth round.
The fight was beneath Provodnikov and also featured a fight involving actor Mickey Rourke which was rumored to be fixed.
Provodnikov's last four victories have come via stoppage, and in his split decision loss vs. Algieri he knocked him down twice in Round 1.
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