Subriel Matias says he’ll knock out Liam Paro in the rematch if he gets the opportunity to fight him again after losing his IBF light welterweight title against the Australian last Saturday night.
If Matias does get a chance to fight Paro again, it will be in his home country of Australia, and he will need to deal with his excessive holding.
(Photo by Amanda Westcott/Matchroom.)
Hearn’s Plan for Matias
Promoter Eddie Hearn says he will rebuild Matias with one fight and then look to put him into a world title fight. He didn’t say against who, but it’s either Paro if he still holds the IBF title or WBC champion Devin Haney.
Hearn didn’t sound too optimistic about Matias’s chances of fighting Paro again. He said Matias needs to move up to 147, but he’s unsure.
Matias is in the same boat as former WBC light welterweight champion Regis Prograis, who lost his title to Devin Haney last December and hasn’t fought since. Hearn still hasn’t found anything for Prograis and the year is half over.
Matias’ Struggle with Paro’s Style
Paro (25-0, 15 KOs) had Matias’ number in their fight at the Coliseo Juan Aubín Cruz Abreu in Manati, Puerto Rico. Liam used a lot of combinations, movement, straight arms, and strategic holding to decide Subriel’s hometown.
The referee docked a point from Paro, 28, in the seventh round for landing a blatant rabbit punch, and he probably should have taken additional points for the illegal stiff arm and holding that the Australian was doing throughout the fight.
Even with more point deductions, Matias (20-2, 20 KOs) wouldn’t win because he couldn’t get his shots off against this type of fighter.
Some guys would do well against Paro with his in close fighting; someone like Ryan Garcia would have a field day against that style, but not Matias. He doesn’t know how to fight in close and was letting Paro hold without making him pay for this tactic.
“I don’t feel like I’m in any position to say what I want, but if Eddie Hearn says, ‘You got to go to Australia and rematch Liam Paro,’ I will knockout Liam Paro and do something I wasn’t able to do this evening,” said Subriel Matias at the post-fight press conference when asked if he wants a rematch with Liam Paro after losing to him last Saturday night in Puerto Rico.
Hearn’s Confidence in Matias
“Maybe that’s one fight first and then the championship. But the plan will be to rebuild and try and become a two-time champion,” said Hearn.
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