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IBF super lightweight world champion Subriel Matias has fast become a fearsome fighter at a time when 140 pounds is fast filling up with stars.
Devin Haney will defend his WBC belt against the social media frenzied Ryan Garcia on April 20 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Both men are relative newcomers to a division where Matias has spent much of his career. Haney jumped up from lightweight to become a two-weight world champion with a wide points victory over Regis Prograis in December. Garcia has yet to claim world title status. He waved goodbye to 135 pounds following a seventh-round stoppage defeat against Gervonta Davis on a Las Vegas pay-per-view last April.
“All Haney does is run all the time,” Matias said, exclusively to boxingscene.com. “That’s all he ever does, he never comes to fight. He’s only a threat at my weight if he doesn’t fight me, but he looks like a man who doesn’t like to fight with all that running away. With his next fight, what can I say? All I can say is that people who don’t say a lot, understand a lot more than the man talking a lot. I think it will be a one-sided fight to be honest with you.”
Garcia has raised serious concerns regarding his mental welfare following bizarre performances at the opening press tour and even peculiar social media rants that involve stories of pure horror.
“Ryan Garcia hasn’t got the heart for it,” Matias added. “What I can tell you is that with Ryan’s ability, if he had the mentality that I have and the heart that God gave me, nobody could beat him on the planet. Nobody would beat Garcia if he had what I had. Nobody would ever be able to beat him if he had a better mentality. He could be great, but he doesn’t believe in himself mentally.”
Matias (20-1, 20 KOs) recently inked promotional terms with Matchroom, who broadcast all fights on DAZN. Haney and Garcia are also both affiliated to the network, a unification with the winner is a possibility in 2024.