Alberto Puello vs Subriel Matias WBC special fight preview, tale of the tape, odds, prediction
Alberto Puello vs Subriel Matias WBC special fight preview
By James Blears
Wily and astute Alberto "Avispa" Puello (24-0, 10 KOs) defends his WBC super-lightweight crown against power-punching Subriel "Orgullo de Maternillo" Matias (22-2, 22 KOs), in The Battle of the Caribbeans at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens on Saturday July 7th, live on DAZN.
Undefeated southpaw Alberto is from the Dominican Republic while Subriel is from Puerto Rico. Both turned pro in 2015 and while Alberto has fought 176 rounds, the hard-hitting Subriel has fought a lesser 118 rounds.
Quite apart from their ring careers, both men are battlers, who have triumphed against the odds of adversity, which life presented them in the form of exacting challenges.
As a youth, Subriel Matias got involved with the wrong crowd. In 2012, he was shot twice in the thigh in a hail of forty rounds, fired by two men in his general direction. Arrested some weeks later, he served 19 months in Puerto Rico's Federal prison for an assortment of crimes.
He turned pro after his release, transforming his life, saying, "God works in mysterious ways. You are talking to a dead man who God brought back to life."
In some ways, Subriel's life mirrors that of Rocky Graziano, middleweight champion of the world, who shared the ring with Tony "Man of Steel" Zale thrice and the great Sugar Ray Robinson once. As a youngster, Rocky was the toughest street fighter on the Lower East Side, chalking most of his learning, via his dusty fists, in the asphalt jungle. He recalled, "I quit school in sixth grade because of pneumonia. Not because I had it, but because I couldn't spell it."
Rocky who had a wild juvenile record and was a contemporary of Jake LaMotta in Reform School, was actually called Thomas Rocco Barbella. He borrowed the name of an older man to gain a boxing licence, only to discover to his dismay, that the guy had an infinitely worse wrap-sheet than he did!
Sugar Ray Robinson, whose original name was Walker Smith, was not so unlucky. Rocky's life was immortalized by the book entitled: 'Someone up there likes me'. It was made into a movie starring Paul Newman.
All these years later, Subriel had a promising start to his pro career with eight undefeated bouts, following on, by stopping veteran Breidis Prescott via TKO in the third after two knockdowns.
Heartache was to follow, after he overcame hitherto undefeated Maxim Dadashev in an IBF eliminator. Maxim's Trainer and former two-weight division world champion Buddy McGirt stopped the fight in the corner after a torrid round 11. Maxim was rushed to hospital but died from a brain injury several days later.
In his next bout, Matias lost a UD to Petros Ananyan, after getting badly rocked in the seventh, being driven into the ropes, which Referee Robert Byrd ruled as a knockdown.
Two stoppage wins later, he again fought Petros, who retired in his corner after being on the receiving end of nine battering ram rounds. Then, on to Jeremias Nicolas Ponce for the IBF title, who called it a day after five rounds. Yet, in his second defence, Matias lost the title via a UD to Aussie Liam Paro. He has bounced back with two TKO wins to earn his opportunity to challenge for Green and Gold glory.
Alberto Puello won his first title in 2017, which was the WBC Latino super-lightweight championship, stopping Abraham Peralta in eight rounds of a bizarrely scheduled 11. He progressed to fight Jonathan Alonso for the WBA interim belt in 2019 and won by UD.
Puello, 30, fought and defeated Batyr Akhmedov for the vacant WBA title, winning a gruelling SD. His first defence was to be against Rolly Romero, but a VADA test detected the performance enhancing drug Clomiphene. It was a fertility medication he had taken, following minor surgery. He and his wife had trying to have a child together for years. He was suspended for six months and became Champion in recess. The postscript is that his wife gave birth to a daughter.
So, it was back to the drawing board, with a fight against Gary Antuanne Russell, this time for the WBC Interim title, which San Juan's Puello won by a SD.
When Devin Haney became Champion in Recess, Alberto was elevated to Absolute Champion. He fought a tough bout, defeating Spaniard Sandor Martin by SD in yet another gruelling test, which he successfully came through.
Subriel Matias is a swarming, high work rate, pressure fighter, who has power in both hands, particularly unleashing the left hook. Yet, he's been twice defeated by opponents who employed a strategy to outbox, outwit and outhit him, after absorbing his best shots.
Trained by Bob Santos, Alberto Puello, who is one inch taller than his forthcoming foe at five-feet-nine, but his reach is an inch less, doesn't possess the same potent power, but he is a clever boxer, with a sound defence, canny reflexes and smart ring generalship. Thin-faced, he has broad shoulders and a slim whipcord body, which is teak-tough.
Challenger Matias is definitely his most dangerous opponent up to this point. The 33-year-old has already been a world champion and that adds a keen edge to the competition.
To win and to retain his Green and Gold Belt, defending champion Puello must weather an early storm, out-think and outsmart the Puerto Rican puncher, utilising his excellent boxing skills, sound defence, while spearing him with ramrod jabs, plus digging in some energy-sapping rib-ticklers.
Matias must go for broke, trying to overpower, drive back and swat "The Wasp", to neutralise his sting.
It boils down to power, its generation and the ability to temper it, tamper with it and control it. Will this be possible or will it surge, cascade and override vain attempts at containment?
All of this drama will upfold in the Louis Armstrong Stadium. As "Satchmo" himself once said, ‘’You blow who you is.’’ He also suggested with clarion frankness: "We all go do, re, me. But…you've got to find the other notes yourself."
Tale of the Tape
ALBERTO “La Avispa” PUELLO
Dominican Republic
Age: 30
DOB: July 22, 1994
Residence: Las Vegas, Nevada
Birthplace: San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic
Record: 24-0, 10 KOs
Total rounds: 176
World championship fights: 2-0, 0 KOs
Height: 5’9.5” – 76cm
Reach: 71” – 180cm
Stance: Southpaw
Manager: Belgica Pena
Trainer: Bob Santos
SUBRIEL “Orgullo de Maternillo” MATIAS
Puerto Rico
Age: 33
DOB: March 31, 1992
Residence, birthplace: Fajardo, Puerto Rico
Record: 22-2, 22 KOs
Total rounds: 118
World championship fights: 2-1, 2 KOs
Height: 5’9” – 175cm
Reach: 71” – 180cm
Stance: Right-handed
Manager: Juan Orengo
Trainer: Jay Nahar
Betting Odds
1/1 Puello
21/20 Matias
18/1 Draw
AI Prediction
"Alberto Puello enters the fight as an undefeated WBC world champion with a calculated, southpaw style.
"Puello's narrow split-decision win over Sandor Martin in March demonstrated solid ring generalship, but also revealed vulnerabilities under pressure.
"Despite his technical skills, Puello’s low knockout rate raises questions about his ability to keep aggressive opponents at bay.
"Subriel Matías brings a stark contrast. Known for his relentless pressure and perfect knockout ratio, he has overwhelmed nearly every opponent with volume and power.
"His stoppage victories over fighters like Jeremias Ponce and Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela showcased both physical dominance and a punishing, high-output style that forces opponents to wilt.
"Against a volume-puncher like Matías, Puello's technical finesse may not be enough to survive 12 rounds without taking serious damage.
"Subriel Matías wins by TKO in the second half of the fight."
