The IBF has ordered a purse bid on February 2nd, between #3 Subriel Matias and #4 Gabriel Valenzuela for a 140-lb title eliminator to determine the mandatory challenger for light welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins.
Lance Pugmire reports that the Matias vs. Valenzuela purse bid has been ordered to determine the #1 challenger for Hitchins.
Matias Title Shot
Subriel, 32, isn’t popular enough for him to be selected by Hitchins for a voluntary defense. So, Matias has got to go the mandatory route by beating the slugger Valenzuela to force a fight. It makes sense. No champion at 140 would willingly face a KO artist like Matias. We saw that with WBO champion Teofimo Lopez recently when he balked at the idea facing Matias.
The former IBF champion Matias (21-2, 21 KOs) lost his title to Liam Paro last year, losing a 12-round unanimous decision on June 15th in Manati, Puerto Rico. Seen by many boxing fans as the boogeyman of the 140-lb division, Matias knocked out Roberto Ramirez in the second round on November 9th.
Teofimo recently turned down what was said to be a career-high payday to defend his WBO light welterweight title against Subriel Matias. He said he didn’t want to fight Matias because Top Rank wanted to place the match on the West Coast rather than in New York, where he felt it would do better.
Lopez also said he didn’t like that Top Rank wanted to put the fight with Matias on PPV. Fans believe Teofimo lacked the confidence to take the fight, knowing that Matias hits hard and is a pressure fighter who could beat him and ruin his career, such as it is.
Valenzuela (30-3-1, 17 KOs) has a five-fight winning streak since losing to Montana Love by a 12-round unanimous decision on May 7, 2022. His wins since have come against low-level opposition.
Richardson (19-0, 7 KOs) could face WBO 140-lb champion Teofimo Lopez next in a unification fight on one of Turki Al-Sheikh’s cards if Teo chooses to take it. If not, there’s the possibility of George Kambosos Jr. challenging Hitchins for his IBF belt.
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