Subriel Matias finally has a willing challenger in place.

The Ring has confirmed that Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela (30-3-1, 17 KOs) and BXSTRS have accepted an invitation from the IBF for a forthcoming title eliminator. Matias and Valenzuela will now await final instructions from the sanctioning body to begin the free negotiation period.

Once terms are agreed—or if the fight heads to a purse bid—the winner will become the IBF 140-pound mandatory challenger. The current titleholder is Richardson Hitchins (19-0, 7 KOs), The Ring No. 4 junior welterweight contender who is in the voluntary phase of his newfound reign.

Matias 21-2 (21 KOs) is The Ring’s No. 6 140-pound contender and is promoted by Juan Orengo of Fresh Productions.

Valenzuela (30-3-1, 17 KOs) is proudly represented by BXSTRS and international boxing figure Sean ‘VIVA’ Gibbons. The 30-year-old contender is not in The Ring top ten but is No. 6 in the IBF ratings, one spot below Matias who at No. 5 is the highest rated available contender.

The sanctioning body is that far down the list due to commitments from its two higher rated contenders.

England’s Jack Catterall (30-1, 13 KOs) and Los Angeles’ Arnold Barboza Jr. (31-0, 11 KOs), The Ring No. 2 and No. 9 contenders, respectively, are No. 3 and No. 4 in the IBF’s top ten. However, they are already set to meet in an interim WBO title fight on Feb. 15 in Manchester, England.

Matias was previously tied to rumors of fights with The Ring/WBO 140-pound king Teofimo Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) and Dominican contender Elvis Rodriguez (17-1-1, 13 KOs).

Lopez-Matias was previously targeted for a March 15 Top Rank on ESPN+ Pay-Per-View event. Matias was on board for the fight and repeatedly called out Lopez to commit.

However, a fallout between Lopez and career-long promoter Top Rank led to the championship fight’s collapse.

There is confusion to what communication, if any, was made with Rodriguez.

The IBF previously confirmed to The Ring in email and text messages that invitations were sent to Matias and Rodriguez. The timing suggests a mix-up, which would support claims from Rodriguez’s team that they were never notified of such a fight.

That said, Rodriguez is on course to likely next face Puerto Rico’s Yomar Alamo (22-3-1, 13 KOs) on a March 29 Top Rank show from a location to be determined.

Matias previously held the IBF 140-pound title from Feb. 2023 through last June 15.

The reign ended in an upset split decision defeat to Australia’s Liam Paro (23-0 at the time), The Ring No. 5 junior welterweight who ruined Matias’ island homecoming in Manati, Puerto Rico.

Matias rebounded with a second-round knockout of Roberto Ramirez (26-4-1, 19 KOs) last Nov. 9 in Bayamon, P.R.

Guadalajara’s Gonzalez has won five straight against a variety of opposition ranging from fringe to contender level. His last defeat came in a May 2022 majority decision to then-unbeaten Montana Love on the Dmitry Bivol-Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez undercard in Las Vegas.

The most notable win among his past five fights came in a May 2023 split decision victory over Australia’s Steve Spark (16-3, 14 KOs) in Zapopan, just outside his Guadalajara hometown. That fight also came on an Alvarez undercard, as did a Sept. 2023 win over Yeis Gabriel Solano in Las Vegas.

Two club-level fights made up his 2024 campaign, the most recent on Oct. 11 when he outpointed Jesus Lopez (16-15-3) over eight rounds at home in Guadalajara.