Subriel Matias’ promoter is ready to test his marketability in New York. The Ring has confirmed a plan to bring Matias’ mandated WBC 140-pound title defense against England’s Dalton Smith there January 10. Smith has mentioned that date and New York in recent days on social media. Fresh Productions, which promotes Puerto Rico’s Matias, won a purse bid last month to secure the rights to the fight with a bid of $1,900,000. It wasn’t clear at the time this story was posted where in New York the event headlined by Matias-Smith will be held. The initial plan was to make Matias-Smith part of “The Ring IV” undercard November 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Fresh Productions instead decided to bring the fight to New York. Matias (23-2, 22 KOs), rated No. 2 by The Ring at junior welterweight, won his WBC belt when he edged the Dominican Republic’s Alberto Puello by majority decision as part of “The Ring III” card July 12 at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York.

Matias battered previously unbeaten Jeremias Ponce (RTD 5) to claim the vacant IBF title in February 2023. He made one successful defense, against Shohjahon Ergashev (RTD 6), before surprisingly losing his title in a homecoming defense against Liam Paro (UD 12) in June 2024. However, he recalibrated with a pair of wins before topping Puello. Smith (18-0, 13 KOs), rated at No. 7 by The Ring at junior welterweight, won British, Commonwealth, European and WBC regional titles. He owns wins over Sam Maxwell (TKO 7), former world title challenger Jose Zepeda (KO 5) and Mathieu Germain, whom he beat by a lopsided 12-round unanimous decision in his most recent fight April 19. The Matias-Smith undercard will feature former two-time bantamweight champ Emmanuel Rodriguez (22-3, 13 KOs), who will fight for the first time since he lost his IBF title to Ryosuke Nishida last May. Also tabbed to appear is two-time Olympian Jeyvier Cintron (13-1, 6 KOs) and junior welterweight Alfredo Santiago (17-2, 8 KOs) in separate action against opponents to be determined. Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at elraincoat@live.co.uk and you can follow him on X@AnsonWainwr1ght