IBF light welterweight champion Subriel Matias is ready to fight all the top fighters at 140 pounds, including champions Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez.
Matias (20-1-1, 20 KOs) has the best win on his resume than any of the other champions in the division with his recent stoppage of Shohjahon Ergashev. He’d now like to add Haney’s name to his resume.
Rehydration Limit: A Non-Issue for Matias?
Matias’ trainer Panda feels that the IBF’s 10-lb rehydration limit will be a problem for Haney if he chooses to fight Subriel in a unification.
It would prevent Haney from ballooning up in weight by 25 lbs as he did for his fight with Regis Prograis, where he rehydrated from 140 to 165 lbs overnight.
According to the IBF’s rules, the fighters have to weigh in the morning of the fight, and if they’re over the 10-lb rehydration limit, they’re fined, and the fight potentially can be canceled. Also, they must pay the promoter’s expenses.
As coach Panda points out, Matias doesn’t have problems with his weight. He doesn’t rehydrate to an enormous amount of weight for his fights.
In other words, Matias is a true light welterweight and not some guy who should be fighting at 154 or 160, which you can argue is where Haney should be fighting.
Haney Would Struggle With Rehydration Limit
“That’s with Matias at the IBF. Matias doesn’t struggle with weight,” said coach Panda to MillCity Boxing about his fighter, IBF light welterweight champion Subriel Matias.
“No, because the IBF still needs to do what they do. It depends on who wins the judging and all the supervising thing, but mostly the IBF wins where you still have to do the 10-lb thing,” said coach Panda when asked if the International Boxing Federation’s ten-lb rehydration limit would still be in play if Matias fought a unification match at 140 against one of the other champions.
It’s unclear whether Haney could work a deal during negotiations to have the IBF’s 10-lb rehydration limit eliminated for the fight so that he could rehydrate to 165 to 170 without worry. He’d be the A-side, and that’ll enable him to negotiate the weight.
“Guess who that [IBF’s 10-lb rehydration limit] would be a problem for. [Devin Haney]. Not for us, and again, we’re here to do it. You’re not giving me an opportunity. We’re world champions,” said Panda, taking a shot at Haney.
“Devin Haney? Yeah, he’d beat these guys,” said Panda when asked if Haney can beat WBC interim welterweight champion Mario Barrios if he moves up to 147 to fight him. Quality doesn’t have weight.
“Devin is a smart guy; he’s a good fighter. He can move up to 147, and he’s still be a great fighter. He won’t have the power. I’ll tell you that, but we know that. Another thing.
“If you stand in front of Devin, just like he did with Regis [Prograis]. At least, he’s going to put you on your backside once or twice in the fight,” said Panda about Haney.
