Lyu shows the heart of a lion

It wasn't close and it wasn't pretty, but in losing his world title challenge on Sunday, China's Lyu Bin won a legion of fans.

On the undercard of Manny Pacquiao vs Lucas Matthysse in Kuala Lumpur, the 24-year-old southpaw from Yongkang, Zhejiang province, was attempting to become the first male boxer to capture a major world title in just his second pro fight.

Lyu gave a gutsy account of himself against WBA light flyweight champ Carlos Canizales before being dropped and stopped in the dying seconds of a lopsided 12-rounder that saw the Venezuelan improve to 21-0 with his 17th KO.

Lyu, who got the title shot after an impressive showing in his pro debut on a Beijing card promoted by Pacquiao last fall, was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure immediately following the fight.

The hammer-fisted Canizales stalked Lyu from the opening bell, scoring early and often with a lightning jab and straight rights while landing four punches for each one his smaller opponent managed to connect.

By round 6 Canizales was pretty much loading up and landing body shots at will, but Lyu stayed in the fight by trading combinations at close quarters and occasionally backing up the champ with sneaky overhand rights.

Canizales scored a knockdown with 42 seconds remaining in round 11 when he landed a chopping right lead that sent Lyu sprawling into the ropes, bleeding from a cut over the right eye.

The champion again had Lyu in serious trouble midway through the 12th after three straight jabs and a double right hook, but Lyu was able to temporarily recover and back him up with a short flurry of his own.

With 11 seconds left, Canizales waded in with a four-punch combination, capped by a right to the temple that dropped Lyu for the second time. Referee Gustavo Padilla stopped the fight with just one second remaining.

In the main event, with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte watching from ringside, Pacquiao put on a vintage display en route to capturing the WBA welterweight crown, flooring Matthysse with a left uppercut early in round 3 to establish the search-and-destroy narrative that played out until the 35-year-old Argentine was stopped for good at 2:43 of the seventh.

In between, Pacquiao, who will turn 40 in December, unleashed a four-punch combination that forced Matthysse to take a voluntary knee in the fifth.

"I was surprised I knocked him down so early," Pacquiao said during an in-ring television interview after the fight.

"I wanted to come out smoking hot. My team did a great job in training. We controlled our pace and ourselves.

"I'm no longer young, so thanks to my trainer and all my team members."

Matthysse, who came in with a record of 39-4 with 36 wins by knockout, said through an interpreter that the "old Manny" returned with a vengeance.

"He is a great warrior and a great champion," said the Argentine.

"It was an honor to be in the ring with a living legend, and today Manny was the better fighter. He hit much harder than I thought he would."

PUNCH LINES: Lyu Bin's determination drew high praise from former WBO super lightweight champ Chris Algieri, who was providing TV color commentary. "He's a great young talent with a huge heart … I think he'll be a champion one day," said Algieri … According to PunchStat, Pacquiao landed only 16 of 163 jabs, but out-punched Mattyhsse by a wide margin in body shots: 95/344 to 57/246.