Subriel Matias upset by Liam Paro by decision in title defense

Slow start for the champion

The official scores were 116-111 and 115-112 x 2 as Paro got the well deserved victory. It was a bout that was largely controlled by Paro’s combination punching and effective uppercuts inside. Paro was not intimated by the capacity crowd of 10,000+ fans in the Juan Aubin Cruz Abreu Arena in Manati, Puerto Rico, as he battled toe to toe and most of the time got the better of the champion.

Matias, now 20-2, 20 KOs, finally scored some hard combinations in the final minute of the third round and got the crowd roaring. But, Paro responded by being busier and landing more shots in the fourth and fifth rounds to regain control of the fight.

Matias was having a good round anyway in the 7th, but then veteran championship referee Luis Pabon, who had warned the challenger more than the champ earlier in the fight, made a bizarre ruling of taking a point from Paro for hitting Matias behind the head. This, without having ever warned him before it.

Still, with the fight close Paro, who’s now 25-0, was the better fighter in the final three rounds and closed with solid punching and not backing down from the hard hitting champion. Two of the judges gave all three closing stanzas to Paro, while the third judge gave the challenger 10 and 11, but the champ the 12th round. But, it didn’t matter in the end, as the Aussie was comfortably ahead on the cards for the unanimous verdict.

Homecoming spoiled

Matias was making the second defense of the IBF 140 lb. title that he won in February of 2023, when he stopped Jeremias Ponce in five rounds. He had last fought in his first defense back in November, as he kayoed Shohjahon Ergashev in the sixth round. It was after that fight that Matias’ deal with Premier Boxing Champions expired and he signed a multi-fight deal with Matchroom Boxing.

Paro was, as much as, a 7-1 underdog in the title challenge and has ruined the Matias/Matchroom short term plands.

Paro, the emotional new champ, said to DAZN in the ring after the win,

“Man, I’ve been through Hell and back in life, I’ve had harder fights than that mentally….I always said I’d get carried out (knocked out) if need be. Thank you, God for getting us both safe to home and our young families. I know the hard work I put in. I’m always the hardest worker in the room. I keep proving everyone wrong.”

On whether Matias hit as hard as advertised in the ring?

“We knew it was going to be hard. Matias is a tremendous champion. That’s my hardest fight to date. Look, man, I know I have the best team in the world. I know I’ve been saying that, but I just keep proving everyone wrong. I’ve got the target on my back. So everyone come and get it.”

Paro now becomes a factor at 140 lb. as he could fight WBC champ Devin Haney or maybe WBO champ Teofimo Lopez in a unification fight late this year. He could obviously also give Matias a rematch that would have a lot of interest, as well.