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Subriel Matias & Jeremias Ponce
Meet
For Vacant IBF World Title On Feb. 25
Top super lightweight contenders will square off as popular
knockout artist Subriel Matias meets undefeated Argentine
Jeremias Ponce for the vacant IBF 140-pound World
Championship to decide one of the kingpins of the red-hot
super lightweight division on Saturday, February 25 live on
SHOWTIME from The Armory in Minneapolis headlining a Premier
Boxing Champions event.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins at 9 p.m.
ET/6 p.m. PT and features the return of Minneapolis-native
Jamal “Shango” James in the 10-round welterweight co-main
event as he battles 2016 Argentine Olympian Alberto Palmetta.
Kicking off the telecast, exciting super lightweight
contender Elvis Rodriguez duels the hard-hitting Joseph
“Blessed Hands” Adorno in a 10-round attraction.
“The 140-pound division is one of the hottest in boxing and
a new champion will be crowned at the weight when Subriel
Matias and Jeremias Ponce meet in an anticipated clash on
Saturday, February 25,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB
Promotions. “One of the sport’s most powerful punchers,
Matias will have to be at his best to turn away the unbeaten
and highly-motivated Ponce. In addition to a second
140-pound clash between Elvis Rodriguez and Joseph Adorno,
The Armory’s fan-favorite Jamal James will step back into
the ring, as he looks to begin another run to the title
against Alberto Palmetta. This is a jam-packed lineup that
fans in Minneapolis or watching on SHOWTIME will want to
make sure they catch from start to finish.”
The 30-year-old Matias (18-1, 18 KOs) has a seek-and-destroy
style that is easy on the eyes and hard for his opponents.
He has early and late KO power with all 18 of his victories
coming via stoppages – his last six in the fifth round or
later. The lone loss of his career came against Petros
Ananyan via 10-round unanimous decision in 2020 and was
later avenged. Matias, of Farjado, Puerto Rico, faced two
unbeaten boxers after the loss, defeating Malik Hawkins and
Batyrzhan Jukembayev by stoppage. In the rematch he stopped
Ananyan by ninth-round TKO, methodically wearing his
opponent down and exhausting him before dropping him and
ending the action.
“I’m very grateful that there is now a date for this fight
so that I can finally realize my dream and become world
champion,” said Matias. “I’ve been away from my family for
10 months in Mexico, just preparing and getting ready until
the time came to step into the ring. Now that it’s in my
sight, there’s nothing that is going to stand in my way.”
Ponce (30-0, 20 KOs) will be making his U.S. boxing debut
when he meets Matias in what has all the earmarks of an
immovable-force-versus- unstoppable object-type matchup. The
26-year-old Ponce of Buenos Aires, Argentina hopes to be
included in the long lineage of legendary Argentine boxers
who preceded him. He put himself in position to fight for
the IBF title with a resounding 10th-round TKO victory over
Lewis Ritson in June 2021. He has kept himself busy in
anticipation of the title match and stopped Michel Marcano
via second round KO in November 2021 before most recently
earning a TKO victory over Achiko Odikadze in April of last
year.
"I promise that I'm coming into this fight prepared to do
whatever it takes to reach my dream and become a world
champion," said Ponce. "In my mind, this is my fight, and
that title is already mine. Anyone who's standing in my way
is going to see why I'm undefeated and why I’ve earned this
position that I'm in."
Minneapolis’ James (27-2, 12 KOs) will return to the ring
for the first time since dropping a 2021 slugfest to then
unbeaten Radzhab Butaev, which snapped James’ seven-fight
winning streak. The 34-year-old returns to fight at The
Armory for the fifth time in his career, having won four
straight bouts there between April 2018 and July 2019. That
run for James included triumphs over fellow contender Abel
Ramos and former Champion Antonio DeMarco. James also owns
victories over veteran contenders including Javier Molina
and Wale Omotoso, with his only other blemish coming against
former world champion Yordenis Ugas.
"Training is going well and I'm working hard as usual,” said
James. “I’m very excited to be getting back in the ring
after such a long layoff, especially since it’ll be in my
hometown. I think Palmetta will do his best, but it won’t be
enough. I am determined to win and to let it be known that
my name should be listed as one of the top five
welterweights of this era.”
A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Palmetta (18-1, 13 KOs)
represented his home country at the 2016 Olympics before
turning pro in November 2016. The 32-year-old has won his
last 12 fights, with 11 coming by stoppage dating back to
2017. In addition to an impressive run that saw him knock
out the previously unbeaten Erik Ortiz and veteran
contenders Tre’Sean Wiggins and Saul Corral, Palmetta also
defeated Yeis Solano by decision in October 2021 and most
recently blasted out Thomas Mendez in three rounds last
November.
"This is a great opportunity for me and I'm training hard in
Las Vegas to take full advantage of everything that's in
front of me," said Palmetta. "I've represented my country in
the ring for years, including in the Olympics, and I'm going
in there on February 25 to make everyone in Argentina proud.
I know I'm going into James' hometown, but that's just going
to motivate me even harder to have my hand raised."
Rodríguez (13-1-1, 12 KOs) has bounced back from his first
career defeat, a majority decision loss to Kenneth Sims Jr.,
to knock out his last two opponents. His most recent fight
came at The Armory, when he dispatched Juan Jose Velasco in
the seventh round of their March 2022 clash on SHOWTIME. The
27-year-old burst onto the scene with knockout victories in
10 of his first 11 fights and totaled an impressive five
wins in 2020. Originally from Santo Domingo, Dominican
Republic, Rodríguez now lives and trains in Los Angeles,
Calif.
"I can't wait for February 25," said Rodriguez. "I've been
in camp waiting and preparing for an opportunity like this
to display my skills. Adorno is a very talented fighter, but
he's in my way. Simple as that. I hope to get a title shot
this year and in order to do that, I need to make a big
statement in this fight."
Adorno (17-1-2, 14 KOs) enters this fight having won
three-straight bouts, including a unanimous decision victory
over previously unbeaten Hugo Alberto Roldan in September
2022 in the main event of SHOBOX: The New Generation®. His
current winning streak comes after dropping a March 2022
decision against then-undefeated Michel Rivera on SHOWTIME,
which followed an April 2021 draw against Jamaine Ortiz. The
23-year-old was born in Union City, N.J., and now resides in
Allentown, Pa., and is trained by respected coach Raul
“Chino” Rivas. Adorno turned pro in 2016 at the age of 17
after a standout amateur career where he amassed a 178-22
record and beat Shakur Stevenson twice. He has scored
knockout victories in nine of his first 10 pro fights.
"I'm training hard and putting in the work to make this my
crossover fight,” said Adorno. “I’m the real A-side, the
higher-ranked fighter and have more experience. My
stablemate Kenny Sims dominated Rodriguez and I'm going to
do the same. They took the wrong fight. He can have the
A-side billing. Look at my credentials. I am the more
skilled, more talented and more powerful fighter."
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