Matías vs. Valenzuela: Stock Market Offer on February 2

The IBF ordered an auction on February 2 between #3 Subriel Matías and #4 Gabriel Valenzuela for a 140-pound title eliminator to determine the mandatory challenger to light welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins.

Lance Pugmire reports that the Matías vs. auction has been ordered. Valenzuela to determine Hitchins’ number one challenger.

Matías’ title shot

Subriel, 32, is not popular enough for Hitchins to select him for a voluntary defense. So, Matías has to go the mandatory route by beating slugger Valenzuela to force a fight. It makes sense. No champion at 140 would willingly face a KO artist like Matías. We saw it recently with WBO champion Teófimo López when he opposed the idea of ​​facing Matías.

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 Manatí, Puerto Rico. Viewed by many boxing fans as the bogeyman of the 140-pound division, Matías knocked out Roberto Ramírez in the second round on November 9.

Teofimo recently turned down what was said to be the highest salary of his career to defend his WBO light welterweight title against Subriel Matias. He said he didn’t want to fight Matías because Top Rank wanted to place the fight on the West Coast instead of New York, where he felt it would be better.

López also said that he didn’t like that Top Rank wanted to put the fight with Matías on PPV. Fans believe that Teofimo lacked the confidence to accept the fight, knowing that Matías 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) is on a five-fight winning streak since losing to Montana Love via 12-round unanimous decision on May 7, 2022. Since then, his wins have come against lower-level opponents .

Richardson (19-0, 7 KOs) could face WBO 140-pound champion Teofimo Lopez next in a unification fight on one of Turki Al-Sheikh’s cards if Teo decides to take it. Otherwise, there is a chance that George Kambosos Jr. will challenge Hitchins for his IBF belt.