#3 Subriel Matias (21-2, 21 KOs) faces #4 Gabriel Valenzuela (30-3, 17 KOs) in a 12-round IBF light welterweight title eliminator next month on March 1st in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. The fight will decide the next mandatory for IBF 140-lb champion Richardson Hitchins. The broadcast will begin at 7pm ET / 12am GMT (Sunday) with the ringwalks for Matias vs Valenzuela scheduled for 9pm ET / 2am GMT (Sunday) live on DAZN.
Gabriel Valenzuela, 30, isn’t well known to fans, as he’s fought most of his 10-year professional career in his native Mexico. In recent years, he’s traveled for fights, losing to Montana Love by a 12-round unanimous on May 7th, 2022, in Las Vegas, defeating Steve Spark and Yves Ulysse Jr.
Valenzuela’s loss to Love is a signal of how limited he is as a fighter because this guy is not a top 10-level fighter. If Gabriel hasn’t made improvements since that defeat, he’s not going to last long against Matias.
The former IBF champion Matias lost his belt a year ago to Liam Paro by a 12-round unanimous decision in a fight that resembled a street brawl due to the Aussie’s roughhouse tactics.
Matias could have easily won that fight if the referee had been on his job, policing Paro’s shoving and rabbit punching. However, Paro was a bad style match-up, and Matias needed to adapt when it became clear that the referee was taking a laissez-faire, hands-off approach to controlling the fouling.
“Fighting in my hometown, in front of my people, is an honor and an extra motivation,” said Subriel Matias. “I know Valenzuela will come prepared, but I’m ready to prove why I deserve another shot at the title. On March 1st, Fajardo will witness a great battle.”
“This fight is going to be a classic,” said Gabriel Valenzuela. “I’m proud to represent my country as I fight to bring another world title back home to Mexico.”
Matias was recently in negotiations with WBO light welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez, but the fight failed to happen after the Top Rank-promoted Teo decided the money wasn’t good enough and he didn’t want to fight on the West Coast.
Boxing fans saw it as an example of Lopez being afraid of losing to Matias, so he cooked up a couple of excuses to tell the fans.
Matias vs Valenzuela fight date, start time
- Date: Saturday, March 1
- Time: 7pm ET / 12am GMT (Sunday)
- Matias vs Valenzuela main event ringwalks (approx): 9pm ET / 2am GMT (Sunday)
Matías Vs. Valenzuela Date And Start Times
Main Card Start Times (Approximate):
- USA (ET): 8:00 PM
- USA (PT): 5:00 PM
- UK (GMT): 1:00 AM (March 2)
- Europe (CET): 2:00 AM (March 2)
- Puerto Rico (AST): 8:00 PM
Times subject to change based on undercard fight durations.
Where To Watch Matías Vs. Valenzuela
- Streaming: DAZN (Available worldwide)
- Venue: Coliseo Tomás Dones Hernández, Fajardo, Puerto Rico
- Tickets: On sale now at Ticketera.com
Matias vs Valenzuela fight card
- Subriel Matias vs Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela; Super lightweight, IBF super lightweight title eliminator
- Alfredo Santiago vs Javier Fortuna; Super lightweight, for the WBO NABO super lightweight title
- Nestor Bravo vs Xolisani Ndongeni; Super lightweight, for the WBA intercontinental super lightweight title
- Pryce Taylor vs Trevor Kotara; Heavyweight
Last Updated on 02/28/2025
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2025-02-28 05:00:20
