Subriel Matias-Dalton Smith targeted for November 22 in Riyadh
Subriel Matias was mere minutes into his second junior welterweight title reign when he was told whom he would defend against next, and possibly when.
The “who” wasn’t a surprise. Dalton Smith is the WBC’s mandatory contender and was at Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York City as Matias wrested the sanctioning body’s title from Alberto Puello via majority decision Saturday.
Smith and boxing financier Turki Alalshikh were both in the ring as Matias was being interviewed. The interviewer, boxing reporter Mike Coppinger, informed Matias of Alalshikh’s intention to feature Matias-Smith on November 22.
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“I have my next victim in front of me,” Matias, now 23-2 (22 KOs), responded in Spanish, according to a translation. “I have something that he wants, right?”
Alalshikh then interjected: “No, friend, you will fight him in the November card for the world title.”
Matias then said: “You want exciting fighter. I’m here. I’m here.”
If a deal is able to be made, that fight is about four and a half months away,
that will also feature David Benavidez defending his light heavyweight title against Anthony Yarde, Brian Norman Jnr defending his welterweight title against Devin Haney, Abdullah Mason taking on Sam Noakes for a vacant lightweight title and a unification bout between junior bantamweight titleholders Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Fernando Martinez.
It’s not just if a deal can be made, however, but also if a cut Matias suffered over his left eye against Puello can heal in time.
Matias, a 33-year-old from Puerto Rico, first reigned from February 2023 until June 2024, winning the vacant IBF belt with a TKO of Jeremias Ponce, defending it with a TKO of Shohjahon Ergashev and then losing it via unanimous decision to Liam Paro. Matias notched two wins before stepping in the ring with Puello.
Puello, now 24-1 (10 KOs), had won the interim WBC title in June 2024 with a split decision over Gary Antuanne Russell. Puello was soon upgraded to the full titleholder when Devin Haney vacated the belt. Puello made one successful defense, a split decision over Sandor Martin this past March.
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