Subriel Matias Vows To Knock Out Liam Paro If Rematch Can Be Agreed
Subriel Matias is determined to avenge his shock defeat to Liam Paro and has vowed to knock out the Australian if the rematch can be agreed.
Matias (20-2-0 20 KO) suffered the second defeat of his professional career last Saturday when Paro ruined the Puerto Rican’s first fight on home soil since November 2019 – and his first fight ever as a world champion.
A massive underdog, Paro stunned Matias with a comfortable points win over a fighter feared by many within the super-lightweight division.
Now the IBF world champion, Paro demanded his next fight would be back in Australia, something his promoter Eddie Hearn was happy to support. Conveniently, Hearn also promotes Matias, so arranging a rematch shouldn’t face too many obstacles if both fighters are eager to make it happen.
‘I Will Knock Out Liam Paro’
Matias is certainly keen on revenge and said he is happy to travel to Australia in an attempt to win back his belt.
“If Eddie Hearn says ‘look you need to go to Australia and have a rematch with Liam Paro’, what I will do is I will knock out Liam Paro,” said Matias via a translator. “Do something I wasn’t able to do [in the first fight].”
Without radical changes, it would seem the only way Matias would be able to beat the undefeated Paro in a rematch would be by knockout. Undoubtedly a ferociously powerful puncher, the Puerto Rican had no answer to Paro’s constant hit-and-move style; the Australian was too quick, slick and elusive for Matias to administer any significant damage with his trademark power punches.
Paro made Matias look ordinary but the former champion is refusing to make excuses for the defeat and his performance.
Matias Has No Excuses
“No, I don’t believe I overlooked him at all,” said Matias. “I just think he did his work very well. Excuses are for losers, so I am not going to make excuses. Why am I going to talk about if, buts or maybes? You know, what happened, happened.
“My corner can guide me, but they are conscious to the fact that I am quite a volatile fighter at times. Sometimes I might receive shots and then I will up the pace myself. They are my eyes outside the ring, but I am an old head and I do what I believe will work, and on this occasion, it didn’t work.”
The most disappointing aspect of the defeat for Matias was that it occurred in front of his home fans. More than 10,000 fans packed inside the Coliseo Juan Aubin Cruz Abreu in Manati to provide their support to Matias.
With major fights also happening that weekend in London (Chris Billam-Smith vs Richard Riakporhe) and Las Vegas (Gervonta Davis v Frank Martin), by far the best atmosphere was in Puerto Rico.
“It is kind of humiliating to lose at home,” Matias said. “You’d almost prefer to fight away from home and to have everything against you.”
