Peterson vs Matthysse: Lamont Peterson willing to go toe-to-toe on May 18

Lamont Peterson says he's willing to stand in the trenches with Lucas Matthysse, and though he feels the Argentinean is underrated in the skills department, he thinks he's got more in the tool bag than his opponent.

The two will meet on May 18 in a Showtime-televised main event from Atlantic City.

"I'm willing to go toe to toe with anyone. Inside fighting, if I go toe to toe with anybody I think I have a good chance of winning that fight. He's underrated in [the skill] department but I just think at the end of the day me being able to do multiple things, me being able to sit down with him when I want to and being able to move when I want to will be the difference. I think with him, if we sit there and go toe to toe and he gets in trouble, I really don't see him being able to box me off him."

Peterson (31-1-1, 16 KO) overwhelmed Kendall Holt in his last fight on February 16, while Matthysse (33-2, 31 KO) is coming off of a first round TKO win over Mike Dallas Jr in January.

On paper, I think this is really an excellent matchup, in terms of division relevance (forget the 141-pound catchweight, it doesn't matter) and in how their styles should mesh. Peterson is one of those rare fighters who has the sort of approach that I think can make a good fight with just about anybody. He attacks well, he's a little bit slick, he's got solid defense, he can move, and he's willing to stand and trade. Matthysse is a hard-punching slugger, but he's no mindless brawler, either.

Can Peterson stand toe-to-toe with Matthysse? Will he really risk that, if he doesn't absolutely have to do so?