Subriel Matias is ready to return to the title picture.

The Ring has learned that talks are ongoing between the former IBF 140-pound titlist and Ring/WBO champion Teofimo Lopez. The attractive matchup is targeted to take place near the end of the first quarter of 2025 if a deal can be reached in the coming weeks.

ESPN.com boxing insider Mike Coppinger was the first to report plans for the fight. However, the status of those talks remain open to debate.

Representatives from each side both informed The Ring—on the condition of anonymity—that the report of terms being finalized were overly ambitious. However, both sides seemed to agree that talks are trending in the right direction, which would dispute claims that the fight is far from done.

Should they reach a deal, Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) would attempt his third Ring championship defense. Puerto Rico’s Matias (21-2, 21 KOs) is The Ring No. 6 junior welterweight contender six months removed from the end of his IBF title reign.

Lopez won The Ring 140-pound championship and WBO title in a twelve-round decision victory over Josh Taylor (19-2, 13 KOs; No. 7 at 140) last June 10 in New York City.

Two successful defenses followed, both of which came in 2024. The Brooklyn-bred, Las Vegas based two-division champ defeated Jamaine Ortiz (18-2-1, 9 KOs) via unanimous decision on Feb. 8 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, preceding Super Bowl LVIII weekend at nearby Allegiant Stadium. Both his performance and the fight outcome were met with mixed reviews.

Lopez was far more dominant in a lopsided points win over Canada’s Steve Claggett (39-7-2, 28 KOs) on June 29 at James L. Knight Center in Miami Beach.

The rest of the year was spent by Lopez chasing after a super fight with three-division RING champion and current WBA 154-pound titlist Terence 'Bud' Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs). His name has also come up in potential fights against The Ring No. 1 contender Devin Haney (31-0, 15 KOs: 1 No-Contest) and Ryan Garcia (24-1, 17 KOs; 1 NC).

It seems his team has finally placed its focus on a more realistic fight option.

Matias' IBF 140-pound title reign ended after 16 months, in a twelve-round, unanimous decision win to Liam Paro (24-0, 15 KOs at the time), now The Ring No. 5 contender. The June 15 DAZN headliner took place at Coliseo Juan Aubin Cruz Abreu in Manati, Puerto Rico. It was Matias’ first fight since 2019 on his home island, albeit in a homecoming to forget.

Far greater memories were created in Matias’ most recent bout. The ferocious punching 32-year-old scored a second-round stoppage of Roberto Ramirez (26-4-1, 19 KOs) on Nov. 9 at Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez in Bayamon to maintain his perfect 100-percent knockout to win ratio.