The IBF has ordered a February 2nd purse bid between #3 Subriel Matias and #4 Gabriel Valenzuela for a 140lb 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, is not popular enough for him to be selected by Hitchins for voluntary defence. So, Matias has to go the mandatory route by hitting slugger Valenzuela to force a fight. It makes sense. No champion at 140 would be willing to face a KO artist like Matias. We saw that with WBO champion Teofimo Lopez recently when he opposed the idea of facing Matias.
Former IBF champion Matias (21-2, 21 KOs) lost his title to Liam Paro last year, losing a 12-round unanimous decision on June 15 in Manati, Puerto Rico. Seen by many boxing fans as the boogeyman of the 140lb division, Matias knocked out Roberto Ramirez in the second round on November 9th.
Teofimo recently turned down what was said to be a career 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 put the match on the West Coast rather than New York, where he felt it would do better.
Lopez also said that he didn’t like that Top Rank wanted to put the fight with Matias on PPV. The fans believe that Teofimo lacked confidence to take the fight, knowing that Matias hits hard and is a pressure fighter who could beat him and ruin his career, as it is.
Valenzuela (30-3-1, 17 KOs) is on a five-fight winning streak since losing to Montana Love via a 12-round unanimous decision on May 7, 2022. His wins since then have come against opposition of low level.
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 is the possibility of George Kambosos Jr. challenge Hitchins for his IBF belt.
