The IBF has ordered a purse bid between #3 Subriel Matias and #4 Gabriel Valenzuela on February 2nd for a 140-lb title eliminator to determine the mandatory challenger for light welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins.

Lance Pugmire reports that the Matias vs. Valenzuela purse bid has been ordered to determine the #1 contender for Hitchins.

Matias title shot

Subriel, 32, is not popular enough to be selected for voluntary defense by Hitchins. So, Matias has to go the mandatory route of beating slugger Valenzuela to force a fight. It makes sense. No champion at 140 would willingly face a KO artist like Matias. We saw that with WBO champion Teofimo Lopez recently when he shunned the idea of ​​facing Matias.

Former IBF champion Matias (21-2, 21 KOs) lost his title to Liam Paro last year, losing a 12-round unanimous decision on June 15 in Manatee, Puerto Rico. Seen by many boxing fans as the boogeyman of the 140-lb division, Matias knocked out Roberto Ramirez in the second round on November 9th.

Teofimo recently turned down what was said to be a career-high payday to defend his WBO light welterweight title against Subriel Matias. He said he didn't want to fight Matias because Top Rank wanted the match on the West Coast instead of New York, where he thought it would do better.

Lopez also said that he doesn't like that Top Rank wants to fight Matias at the PPV. Fans believe that Teofimo lacked the confidence to fight, knowing that Matias hits hard and is a pressure fighter who could defeat him and destroy his career, as it were.

Valenzuela (30-3-1, 17 KOs) is on a five-fight winning streak since a 12-round unanimous decision loss to Montana Love on May 7, 2022. His wins have come against lower-level opposition.

Richardson (19-0, 7 KOs) could next face WBO 140-lb champion Teofimo Lopez in a unification bout on one of Turki Al-Sheikh's cards if he chooses to take it on as well. If not, George Kambossos Jr. is likely to challenge Hitchin for his IBF belt.