Subriel Matias has surged into the realm of title contention. The relentless Puerto Rican fighter secured his most significant triumph to date by compelling Kazakhstan’s Batyrzhan Jukembayev to retire on his stool after eight punishing rounds in their IBF junior welterweight title eliminator. Matias delivered a knockdown in the fourth round and endured numerous momentum shifts before forcing the stoppage between the eighth and ninth rounds on Saturday evening at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
The action predominantly unfolded in the center of the ring, with both junior welterweight punchers engaging in close-quarter combat. Matias sought to land his right hand but ended up overcommitting, allowing Jukembayev to land a straight left hand. Despite taking the shot well, Matias found himself outworked and beaten to the punch on the inside.
Jukembayev initiated round three with a blistering right hook, prompting Matias to counter. However, Matias struggled to breach Jukembayev’s solid defense. It wasn't until late in the round that the Puerto Rican contender found his opening, connecting with a right hand and unleashing a flurry of punches in the closing moments.
This late surge marked a turning point for Matias, who launched an aggressive assault in round four. Jukembayev's defense was momentarily compromised, allowing Matias to land a right hand and left hook, resulting in the bout's only knockdown. Although Jukembayev beat the count, he rallied back to stun Matias, eliciting a roar from the fervent crowd.
Despite contending with a cut on his skull, Jukembayev attempted to regain control in round five, only to have Matias assert his dominance once more. A left hook momentarily dazed Jukembayev midway through the round, but the Kazakh southpaw retaliated with a right hook. Matias, however, stormed back with flush right hands.
In round six, Matias rocked Jukembayev with a left hook, capitalizing on his opponent's slowing pace. The Puerto Rican fighter maintained his momentum in round seven, landing several power shots. Unable to withstand Matias' onslaught, Jukembayev's corner informed the referee of their fighter's inability to continue, resulting in a heartbreaking loss for Jukembayev, his first as a professional.
Matias, on the other hand, notched his second consecutive high-profile knockout on Showtime, elevating his record to 17-1 (17KOs). With his impressive performance, Matias positions himself for a potential shot at the IBF junior welterweight title currently held by undisputed champion Josh Taylor. However, he must await the outcome of another eliminator between Jeremias Ponce and Lewis Ritson.
The Matias-Jukembayev bout served as the co-main event of a Showtime tripleheader, with Nordine Oubaali defending his WBC bantamweight title against former four-division champion Nonito Donaire in the main event.
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