By Adam Baskin: IBF light welterweight champion Subriel Matias called out Devin Haney today, saying he wants to fight the “running chicken.”
Matias (19-1, 19 KOs) says Haney has good technical skills but not heart because he’s a scared runner. With that said, Matias picks Haney (30-0,15 KOs) to defeat WBC light welterweight champion Regis Prograis next if that fight comes off.
Haney hasn’t mentioned Matias’ name as someone he wants to fight at 140. Thus far, Haney has targeted Prograis, Teofimo Lopez, and Ryan Garcia as the three fighters he wants at 140.
Matias is probably too big of a puncher for Haney ever to show any interest in fighting. It would be a high-risk, low-reward type of fight for Haney, and he’s not going to want to risk his record going up against Matias.
“I like Devin Haney in this fight,” said Subriel Matias to Fighthype, picking Devin Haney to defeat WBC light welterweight champion Regis Prograis. “I think he [Haney] has good technical, but he doesn’t have heart.
“He’s a chicken. He’s running,” said Matias when asked why he thinks Haney has no heart. He’s running a lot. Devin Haney, I want to fight you. Please give me the opportunity.
“I don’t think he has the good power for the pounds [for the weight class],” said Matias when asked if Haney is his biggest fight at 140.
“I think Lomachenko,” said Matias on who he had winning the Haney vs. Vasily Lomachenko fight last May.
Haney looked bad by not giving Lomachenko a rematch to clear up the controversy surrounding their fight. Devin is going to look even worse if he fails to negotiate a fight with WBC light welterweight champion Regis Prograis and winds up targeting WBA champion Rolly Romero.
“Rolly, he’s not a boxer. He’s a stand-up comedian,” said Matias on his thoughts on WBA 140-lb champion Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero. “I think no [Rolly isn’t a good fighter]. He looks like a joker. Rolly, you joker, man.
Rolly isn’t going to fight Matias because that would be a sure-thing loss for him. He had enough problems with his last opponent,40-year-old Ismael Barroso, and likely would have lost if not for referee Tony Weeks halting the contest prematurely.
“No, no, no. You’re talking to the best at 140, but he’s a good fighter,” said Matias when asked if he thinks Teofimo Lopez is the best fighter at 140.
It’s impossible to say how Teofimo would do against Matias because Teo is such an up-and-down fighter. Sometimes he looks good but then turns around and is horrible.
