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The IBF has ordered a Feb. 2 bid between No. 3 Subriel Matias and No. 4 Gabriel Valenzuela for a 140-pound 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 No. 1 challenger for Hitchins.
Matias Titus of the title
Subriel, 32, is not popular enough to be selected by Hitchins for voluntary defence. So Matias has to go the mandatory route by striking out batter Valenzuela to force a fight. It makes sense. No champion at 140 would willingly face a KO artist like Matias. We saw this recently with WBO champion Teofimo Lopez when he balked at the idea of facing Matias.
Former IBF champion Matias (21-2, 21 KOs) lost his title to Liam Paro last year, losing via a 12-round unanimous decision on June 15 in Manati, Puerto Rico. Seen by many boxing fans as the boogeyman of the 140-pound division, Matias knocked out Roberto Ramirez in the second round on November 9.
Teofimo recently turned down what was said to be the highest payday of his career 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 and not New York, where he thought he would do better.
Lopez also said he didn’t like Top Rank wanting to fight Matias on PPV. Fans believe that Teofimo lacked the confidence to 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 by 12-round unanimous decision on May 7, 2022. His wins since then have come against an low level
Richardson (19-0, 7 KOs) could face WBO 140-pound champion Teofimo Lopez in a unification fight on one of Turki Al-Sheikh’s cards if Teo decides to take it. If not, there is a possibility that George Kambosos Jr. challenge Hitchins for his IBF belt.
