Subriel Matías (22-2, 22 KOs) called out IBF light welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins last Saturday night after stopping Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela (30-4-1, 17 KOs) in the eighth round of an IBF-sanctioned 140-lb title eliminator at the Coliseo Tomas Dones, in Fajardo, Puerto Rico.

The Message Sent

Interestingly, the undefeated Hitchins (19-0, 7 KOs) hasn’t uttered a word since the call out from Matias. That’s a clear sign that the Brooklyn, New York native Richardson is NOT interested in fighting the former boogeyman of the 140-lb division, Matias. Hitchins doesn’t want this droid.

Despite Subriel’s loss last year to recent Hitchins’ victim, Liam Paro, he’s still too dangerous and not popular enough for him to be the prize target that Hitch wants. In an interview on Saturday, Richardson said he wants to fight George Kambosos Jr. next. That’s easy prey for him because the little ‘Emperor’ Kambosos has lost three out of his last four fights, and he’s as harmless as a fly.

Matias beat up the badly overmatched Valenzuela last night, hammering him with slow, powerful punches in every round, and making a mess of his face. The ringside doctor looked Valenzuela over for what seemed like forever before letting him come out for the seventh round.

Valenzuela’s Grit

It was surprising that the fight wasn’t stopped then because his right eye was almost closed, and his face was swollen from the heavy shots that Matias had been hitting him with. Valenzeula showed a lot of courage and toughness to make it through the seventh. However, it appeared that Matias let his foot off the accelerator in that round, showing sympathy for his Gollaz.

It looked like Subriel didn’t want to hurt him because he was fighting with one good eye. However, in the eighth, Matias went for the finish, landing several hard Foreman-esque punches that resulted in Valenzuela going down on one knee. The fight was then halted by the referee Roberto Ramirez Jr. The time of the stoppage was at 2:55 of the eighth.