SUBRIEL Matias is now mandatory challenger to IBF super-lightweight titleholder Richardson Hitchins after a dominant display against Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela, stopping the brave Mexican in the eighth round.
Puerto Rican native Matias lost his IBF strap at 140 lbs when he was outpointed by Aussie Liam Paro last year. However, he is one step closer to regaining the title he lost after his brutal win over Gollaz Valenzuela.
Matias had a habit of starting slow, and this fight was no different. It was Valenzuela who was more active in the first, shooting out a sharp and precise jab to the head and body of Matias.
But the fight came to life in the second round with Matias and Gollaz exchanging ferocious punches, but it seemed the home favourite was having more success. He fed off the raucous atmosphere and landed multiple clubbing left hooks on his Mexican counterpart. Both fighters were landing, but the Puerto Rican had marked up his opponent’s face after a feisty second round.
They continued to stand in front of each other and trade devastating blows in the third. The Mexican was being forced into a fight with Matias, and the Puerto Rican landed a thunderous left hook onto Gollaz’ chin, leaving him stumbling back and unsteady on his legs. The Mexican was relieved to hear the bell signalling the end of the round, but Matias could smell blood.
The fourth round followed suit, Matias and Valenzuela were putting on a show. It was relentless from both, and the Mexican seemed to have recovered from the scare at the end of the third.
Gollaz had a horrifying cut above his right eye inspected by the doctor before the start of the fifth, but he was deemed okay to continue, to Matias’ surprise. The Mexican showed heart and courage to keep fighting and after another inspection ahead of the sixth, the fight went on.
Matias’ volume was relentless, and despite Gollaz throwing in the other direction, nothing was fazing the Puerto Rican wrecking ball. Matias continued to hunt his opponent down, who made it into the seventh, and the corner allowed him to continue after they threatened to pull him out of the fight if he didn’t show them something.
The doctor looked at the cut above Valenzuela’s eye ahead of the seventh, but again he said the Mexican could continue. The two fighters exchanged heavy blows, but the power shots came from Matias whose output was incredible. Valenzuela, however, took the Puerto Rican’s devastating left hooks on the chin and continued to fire back.
Gollaz was hurt in the middle of the eighth by a left hook, before Matias landed a clubbing right hand at the end of round, followed by an accurate flurry of punches, forcing Gollaz to take a knee. The referee subsequently waved the fight off, and Matias maintained his 100 per cent knockout percentage.
