Former two-division world champion Viktor Postol of Ukraine remains the only fighter to score a knockout win over world welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse, Manny Pacquiao's next opponent.

And the man behind Postol’s success is Marvin Somodio, a Los Angeles-based Filipino and longtime deputy of Pacquiao’s former trainer, Freddie Roach.

Somodio was the main cornerman of Postol, a heavy underdog at the time, when he scored a shocking 10th-round knockout win over Matthysse in Carson, Calif., in October 2015.

It helped Somodio a lot that before leading Postol to the shocking win, the Iloilo-born trainer had a chance to size up Matthysse when the Argentinean fought one of Somodio’s fighters, Ruslan Provodnikov of Russia, 6 months prior in April 2015.

“After 6 rounds sinabihan ko si Ruslan ititigil ko na laban kasi kung talo din lang kami, bakit pa itutuloy,” Somodio said during a telephone interview aired recently on Radio Pilipinas 2 918.

“Siguro du'n siya na-motivate kaya talagang na-pressure niya si Matthysse hanggang sa naging dikit 'yung laban.”

Matthysse, 35, escaped with a 12-round majority decision win over Provodnikov but the experience served Somodio in good stead as he used it as an advantage in hatching Postol’s own battle plan.

“Alam ko hirap sa pressure fighter si Matthysse. Kaya si Viktor, puro jab lang sa umpisa. Every time na pumapasok si Matthysse, solid jab tapos labas na,” Somodio said.

“Hanggang sa sumuko na lang si Matthysse sa later rounds. Du'n na namin nakuha si Matthysse.”

Somodio, who also gained a wealth of experience by being part of Pacquiao’s training team via Roach beginning 2009, said he sees Pacquiao scoring a decisive win over Matthysse.

“Si Postol hindi naman malakas sumuntok pero napatumba niya si Matthysse. Pero si Senator Manny, mabilis, malakas, mautak. Tingin ko kung hindi makuha ni Matthysse after 4 rounds, hindi na siya aabot ng 12 rounds kay senator,” said Somodio.

Somodio said the only way for Matthysse to beat Pacquiao is by scoring a stoppage, something Matthysse is known for having produced 36 knockouts in tallying a 39-4 win-loss record.

“Malakas talaga si Matthysse. 'Yun lang ang dapat ingatan ni Senator Manny. Pero tingin ko naman, sa skill ni senator, kaya niyang iwasan at pahirapan si Matthysse,” said Somodio.

The Pacquiao-Matthysse fight will be held at Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

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