Puerto Rican puncher Subriel Matias got back to his habit of scoring a KO win last night in his homeland. A former IBF champ at 140 pounds, 32 year old Matias lost his belt to Liam Paro back in June of last year, the fight proving a disappointment for the Puerto Rican fans, with Matias’s fearsome power failing to show up. Now, in facing Mexico’s Gabriel Valenzuela, this last night in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, Matias got back to doing what he does best – beating up an opponent.
Matias got the stoppage win he wanted in round eight, this over a badly bloodied Valenzuela. A right hand followed by a left hook put Valenzuela down, and though he got back up, the referee had seen enough. The end came at 2:55 of the 8th. Matias is now 22-2(22), while the gutsy Valenzuela falls to 30-4-1(17).
Matias took the fight right to his 30 year old foe, unloading pressure. Valenzuela had come to fight, though, and the action was fun to watch. Matias was scoring with hooks, but Valenzuela was also landing some good shots. The crowd was well into the action. There was some exciting trading going on and the pace was hot. By round four, Valenzuela was sporting a cut right eye and the blood was flowing. More than once during the remainder of the fight the doctor had a close look at the cut, but the fight was permitted to go on.
Valenzuela was tired, but he was still game and firing back. Valenzuela, however, would not take no for an answer this time – as some feel he did in the Paro fight – and he simply broke his man down with sheer, unrelenting pressure. After a long talk in the corner regarding the cut, Valenzuela was allowed out for round eight. This session saw Matias finally get the stoppage. Down Valenzuela went from the two head shots, taking a knee. Up Valenzuela got, but the third man had seen enough. Both Matias and Valenzuela embraced at the conclusion of their bloody, at times thrilling battle.
In winning, Matias showed he is back, and he called out Richardson Hitchins, who dethroned Paro to take the IBF belt in December. With last night’s win, Matias became the IBF mandatory challenger, so it seems Hitchins will have to fight him sooner rather than later. Can Matias, who is still more than capable of being one of the most exciting fighters on the planet, become a two-time world champion?
Who wins if/when Matias and Hitchins get it on?
