Subriel Matias Promises To Knockout & Retire Teofimo Lopez, Says Haney Runs Like A Chicken

Subriel Matias made sizzling statements during a Matchroom Boxing press conference Friday introducing the IBF junior welterweight champion as its latest star signee. 

After fighting for several years on PBC shows, the knockout artist Matias (20-1, 20 KOs) signed a multi-fight deal with Eddie Hearn earlier this month.

Matias is slated to next fight in June in his native country of Puerto Rico. Australia's Liam Paro (24-0, 15 KOs) – who knocked out Montana Love in December – has been leading the conversation as a possible next opponent for Matias. 

Before his next fight is announced, Matias made sure that the boxing public recognized him as the best junior welterweight in the world – all while taking shots at the division’s current champions. 

"I'm here. You're watching the best 140-pound fighter in the world," said Matias. "I feel like I am going to go and destroy my opponents, and that is what I want to do in the future. I'm really confident in my abilities. All I need is the opportunity, and I think people are going to see that opportunity now.

"My security and confidence in myself can be considered arrogant at times, but if we're talking about other fighters like Teofimo Lopez, Devin Haney, and I won't even talk about Rolando Romero because he's a comedian, I will face any opponent that is put in front of me. I will knock out and retire Lopez. And Haney, I don't know, because he runs like a chicken.”

The hard-hitting 31-year-old Matias last fought in November and dominated Shohjahon Ergashev. The stoppage win was the fifth fight in a row in which Matias forced a fighter to quit as well as the first defense of his title. 

The five-fight winning streak also started after Matias’ first career loss to Petros Ananyan in 2020 via unanimous decision, a defeat he has since avenged with a stoppage win against Ananyan in 2022. 

Hearn is particularly bullish on the star he’s signed. 

“We've wanted to sign Subriel for a long time and now the time has come," said Hearn. "In my opinion, he's one of the most exciting and dangerous pound-for-pound fighters on the planet. He's already a world champion, so people don't have an excuse not to fight him. He wants all the smoke, and all of the big names in the division."

Matias’ Puerto Rican promoter Juan Orengo of Fresh Productions said they’ve been struggling to secure premier fighters to face him, but that should all be coming to an end soon. 

“He's already a big name but he wants to be even bigger,” said Orengo. 

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer, and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com, or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.