Manny Pacquiao to fight Lucas Matthysse for WBA welterweight title

The 39-year-old has not fought since losing the WBO title to Jeff Horn last July

Manny Pacquiao will fight on 14 July (Getty)

Manny Pacquiao, the only eight-division world champion in the history of boxing, will fight Argentine Lucas Matthysse for the WBA welterweight title on 14 July.

Pacquiao, 39, last fought in a unanimous points loss to Australian Jeff Horn in July last year. He is ranked second in the division with an overall record of 57-6-2.

Matthysse meanwhile beat Thailand's Tewa Kiram to win the vacant WBA welterweight belt in January, extending his record to 38-4-0. He has been knocked out just once in his 14-year professional career, by the Ukrainian Viktor Postol.

Oscar de la Hoya announced the upcoming bout will be staged in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. “Signed, sealed, and delivered: Proud to officially announce that WBA welterweight world champion @MatthysseLucas will put his title on the line against @mannypacquiao in Kuala Lumpur,” De la Hoya said on Twitter.

Pacquiao has replaced his long-term trainer Freddie Roach for the fight and will instead work with Buboy Fernandez ahead of the contest.

Roach had previously advised Pacquaio – who was elected as a senator in his native Philippines in June 2016 – to retire after his points loss to Horn last July.

Manny Pacquiao ignored Freddie Roach's advise (Getty)

“I'm gonna have a long talk with him about that,” said Roach, who had worked with the boxer since 2001. “Because I think maybe being a senator, being a fighter, both is maybe too much.”

But Pacquiao disregarded his advice and will instead contest his 69^th professional fight.