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The IBF has ordered #5 Subriel Matias and #6 Gabriel Valenzuela to begin negotiations for a light welterweight title eliminator to decide the #1 contender to challenge the new 140-lb champion Richardson Hitchins for his belt.
IBF Orders Eliminator
Matias, 32, has an excellent chance of putting himself back into a world title fight to win back his old IBF belt that he lost a year ago, a 12-round unanimous decision defeat against Liam Paro on June 15th.
It’s a tall order for Valenzuela to defeat Matias because he’s an excellent puncher and will put nonstop pressure on him. Gabriel will likely follow Paro’s blueprint and try to win by using movement, excellent clinching, shoving, and other roughhouse tactics.
Most would agree that Paro got away with murder with him roughing up Matias all night and the referee doing nothing to enforce the rules. Interestingly, Matias chose to keep it clean instead of getting in the mud with Paro and using the same underhanded tactics.
Elvis Rodriguez chose not to fight Matias (21-2, 21 KOs). Otherwise, he would have faced the former IBF light welterweight champion in the title eliminator. It’s his loss, as he’s expected to fight Yomar Alamo next.
Jake Donovan is reporting the IBF is ordering the Matias-Valenzuela negotiations.
Gabriel Valenzuela (30-3-1, 17 KOs) has won his last five fights since losing to Montana Love by a narrow 12-round unanimous decision in Las Vegas on May 7, 2022. Valenzuela’s other two defeats have come against William Zepeda and Luis Hernandez Ramos.
Valenzuela’s loss to Montana Love puts things in perspective a little bit about his talent level, but he’s looked good since defeating these fighters:
Yves Ulysse Jr.
Steve Spark
Yeis Gabriel Solano
Jesus Cuadro
Jesus Lopez Perez
Those are still far from great fighters and not nearly good enough to give Valenzuela much of a chance against the former IBF light welterweight champion Subriel Matias.
Again, if Valenzuela can follow the same blueprint that Liam Paro created by roughing up Matias, moving, and holding all night, he could potentially win if the Puerto Rican fighter hasn’t learned to adapt to these tactics.