IBF junior welterweight champion Subriel Matias 20-1 (20) is looking for a statement win when he takes on undefeated challenger Liam Paro 24-0 (15) in his first fight at home as champion at the Coliseo Juan Aubin Cruz Abreu in Manati, Puero Rico on Saturday night.
The 32-year-old Puerto Rican says he is cut from a different cloth to the 28-year-old Paro, a southpaw who hails from Australia.
“I have something that 99% of the people don’t have. That’s a cold personality. I feel I’m one of the few boxers with the full package,” Matias said to DAZN Boxing.
In fact, Matias is so convinced of victory he is already looking ahead to future opponents, including Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero, Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez.
“The pressure forces me to do more and that’s what fans are looking for,” Matias said. “I think it would be Rolly after I’m done with Haney and Teofimo. He’s smart. He will quit. Haney is like a chicken.
“Rolly, blah. Gervonta [Davis], this one I can say will be more difficult. Teofimo has mental problems.
“I want to send a message to Regis Prograis. If you want to be a champion again, I’m here.
“I promise you I’m going to send you to the hospital. If you want to be champion again, I give you the opportunity, but one condition: you’re going to go to the hospital.”
Paro is taking a big step up in class, but it is one that he says he is ready for.
“Nothing in life comes easy and I am taking the biggest test not only for the title but with the best fighter in the division at the moment, so it’s a no-brainer for me,” Paro said at the final press conference.
“I’ll fight anyone and I am proving that by coming into the lion’s den in Puerto Rico to take on the champion.”
Matias will be making the second defence of the vacant title he won against Jeremias Ponce in February last year. He successfully defended the belt against Shohjahon Ergashev in November.
Both boxers retired on their stools in the mid-rounds.
Paro is coming off an impressive sixth-round knockout of Montana Love in December, but the highlight reel stoppage did nothing to impress Matias.
Put simply, he doesn’t believe Paro is in his class.
“I don’t think that this will go 12 rounds. Everything he is showing me tells me this won’t go 12 rounds,” said Matias, whose lone loss to Petros Ananyan on points four years ago was avenged in their rematch.
“He’s going to come to box, but he obviously wants to take that title away from me, and I want to take his undefeated record from him.”
The Matias versus Paro fight will be broadcast live on DAZN.
