By Elisinio Castillo
Newly crowned WBA "regular" welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse (39-4, 36 KOs) arrived home to Argentina with hundreds of fans waiting at the airport, hoping to take photos with boxer and get autographs.
On Saturday night at The Forum in Los Angeles, Matthysse knocked out previously undefeated Thai star Tewa Kiram (37-1, 27 KOs) in the eighth round to capture the vacant belt.
"I am very happy, I had been able to win an interim title, and now with this world title - my dream has came true. It's been many years of sacrifice, I started boxing at eleven and I'm already 35," Matthysse said.
Matthysse became interim champion on September 8, 2012 when he beat Olusegun Ajose by technical knockout in Las Vegas in a bout for the super lightweight title of the World Boxing Council (WBC).
When analyzing what happened in Saturday's fight, Matthysse explained that the contest was difficult.
"(Kiram) tried to dodge me all the time, he made it a long distance fight and he moved a lot in the ring. I think he studied me a lot because I had a hard time finding him until I could connect those punches (in the eight round)," Matthysse explained.
"It surprised me (when the fans began to boo), because it had never happened to me, but they booed me while I was in the ring. Saying that, I think the boos were more towards him than me. He never came out to fight as someone who was undefeated with a lot of knockouts.
Matthysse also reiterated his position, that he wants his next fight to come against Filipino super Manny Pacquiao or a rematch with two-division world champion Manny Pacquiao.
"I always want to fight with the best. I've already said that I would like to do it again with Danny Garcia or a fight with Manny Pacquiao, and I hope that one of those fights will happen," Matthysse said.