Daniel Matthews tasted defeat for the first time in his professional career, downed by Victorian number one Carter Lawrance in the Kyabram fighter’s first five-round Muay Thai bout. Photo: W. L. Fight Photography.
Kyabram Muay Thai fighter Daniel Matthews has suffered his first professional defeat.
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The result came at the Rebellion 33 event, held at the Q room in Thomastown on Saturday, where he was beaten by decision against high-profile fighter Carter Lawrance.
Fighting out of Wickham’s Martial Arts Centre in Echuca, Matthews had built an undefeated 6-0 record in his professional career since debuting in September 2022.
Fight number seven loomed as the local’s toughest test, taking on the Victorian number one and Australian number nine at 70kg (super welterweight) in Matthews’ first five-round fight.
Despite the loss, being booked to take on Lawrance was a big step forward for Matthews’ career, the fight earning co-main event billing on the Rebellion 33 card.
“This fight is pretty big for me,” Matthews said ahead of the bout.
“(Lawrance) has been really active in Thailand fighting in the big stadiums over in Bangkok, so it’s pretty big.
“He’s number one in Victoria and number nine in Australia at the moment, so it’s going to be a big step up.
“It’s my first five-round fight, and it’s going to be (about) his 20th.”
Matthews trains at Wickham’s Martial Arts in Echuca, under head Muay Thai trainer Kiw Eikkasit. Photo: Jordan Townrow.
Matthews had his own stint in Thailand in the second half of last year, winning a fight before returning home for his most recent contest at the last Rebellion event in November.
Potentially fighting for five rounds added a new element to the fight for Matthews, who won all six of his previous fights by decision, a result that requires the fight to go the distance.
Despite his inexperience in the longer format, Matthews had said he wasn’t looking to cut corners to end things quickly.
“I’m not looking for the knockout,” he said.
“If it comes, it comes, but I’m not going to be overextending for it.
“I’m just going to play my game and play my cards right.”
The fight did go the full five rounds, neither fighter able to score the decisive knockout, but it was Lawrance who had the better of the judge’s scorecards to claim the win.
On the Rebellion 33 undercard, Roots 28, was Echuca-based Wickham’s fighter Reese McMaster, who made her professional debut.
Fighting at 48kg against Alisha Khaddour, McMaster had a successful start to her pro career, taking the bout by unanimous decision.
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