SUBRIEL MATIAS promises to regain his world title ahead of his IBF super lightweight title eliminator with Mexican Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela next weekend.
Hard-hitting Matias, 21-2 (21 KOs), will fight in his home country of Puerto Rico for the second time in as many fights and will collide with Valenzuela, 30-3 (17 KOs), in an exciting affair with the winner moving one step closer to a world championship opportunity.
Matias is hoping to return to world glory after losing his IBF 140lb strap to Aussie Liam Paro in June last year but has since returned to the win column after stopping Roberto Ramirez in November. All of Matias’ wins have come inside the distance, boasting a 100% KO percentage – solidifying him as one of the biggest punchers in the sport.
Speaking at this week’s virtual press conference, Matias discussed the bout with Valenzuela.
“This is a great opportunity for me to fight for a title shot and I will be looking for a win via knockout. We are both very powerful fighters, and I know for a fact that this will end in a knockout. I promised myself the day I lost the title that I would regain it.”
“As long as I keep winning, those big fights will come to me. The fans will continue to call for those big fights.”
The 32-year-old Puerto Rican has an exceptional resume, beating the likes of Batyrzhan Jukembayev, Jeremias Ponce and Shohjahon Ergashev on his IBF world title run – all who hadn’t tasted defeat before entering the ring with the ferocious puncher Matias.
His foe next weekend, Valenzuela, is undefeated since being outpointed by Montana Love over 12 rounds in 2022. The Guadalajara native is ranked number four by the IBF and has won his last five fights – he is just one win away from potentially challenging newly crowned IBF 140lb champion Richardson Hitchins, who will have a keen eye on this fight.
“This is a great opportunity”, said Valenzuela at the presser. “I am very happy and motivated because my team has worked for many years for me to get seen. What better way to be seen than being in the new edition of Mexico vs Puerto Rico, a rivalry that has given us some of the greatest battles in history.”
The Mexican puncher burst onto the world scene when he defeated Liverpudlian Robbie Davies Jr by majority decision in London four four years ago, picking up the IBF inter-continental super lightweight title.
“Every fight is different,” he said. “It’s a completely different story once you walk into the ring. We are prepared for this fight. We want to control the fight and finish it by knockout. Sometimes you have to make adjustments in the ring, and I am prepared to do that, every fight will call its own story.”
