"The Boogeyman on His Own Territory": Matias and Paro Speak on Their Upcoming Fight

IBF junior welterweight champion Subriel Matias (20-1, 20 KOs) and Liam Paro (24-0, 15 KOs) have commented on the official announcement of their fight.

Matias is thrilled to defend his title for the second time on his native soil: "I am very excited about the opportunity to stand before my people, defending the title that was so hard for us to obtain. The mentality is always the same, and in front of my people, I don’t even need to say it—they know me. The pride of Maternillo."

Paro expressed his anticipation as well: "I’ve waited my whole life for this opportunity. I can't wait to fight the boogeyman in his own backyard."

The match is set for June 15 in Manatí, Puerto Rico, the hometown of Subriel Matias. Matias is currently on a streak of five consecutive TKO victories—all five opponents have opted not to continue the fight. The last time he entered the ring was in November of the previous year, when he defeated Shohjahon Ergashev (23-1, 20 KOs) from Uzbekistan. In December 2023, Paro faced the American Montana Love (18-2-1, 9 KOs) and won by knockout in the 6th round.