Junior welterweight contender Shohjahon Ergashev 23-0 (20) and IBF 140-pound champion Subrial Matias 19-1 (19) agree on one thing: their fight this weekend will not be going the distance.
In what looks like a made-for-TV matchup, the pair of punchers will clash at the Michelob Ultra Arena at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday night on the undercard of the Showtime pay-per-view headlined by David Benavidez 27-0 (23) versus Demetrius Andrade 32-0 (19).
Ergashev likes an early knockout and Puerto Rico’s Matias, 31, is sure to oblige him if he wants to trade in the trenches.
“It’s gonna be a very exciting fight. Matias is very aggressive, very confident and he likes to mix it up,” Ergashev said. “And I like to mix it up, so it’s gonna be very exciting. And it’ll be fireworks from beginning to end.”
Ergashev knows Matias represents a step up in class from his previous opposition, but also a chance to to prove he belongs at the top level.
“People have not seen my true potential,” the 31-year-old Uzbek southpaw said. “Subriel Matias is an excellent fighter. He’s truly very good and it’s gonna be an exciting fight because he also likes to fight. He likes to box, he likes to engage and that will give me the ability to showcase my skills and to be able to raise to the next level.”
He added: “All of his previous opponents wouldn’t last the distance with me, so [his] knockouts don’t mean much.”
For Ergashev it will be his first bout in 15 months, while Matias is nine months removed from his fifth-round knockout of Jeremias Ponce at the Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota that saw him claim the vacant IBF title.
For Ergashev it will be his first bout in 15 months, while Matias is nine months removed from his fifth-round knockout of Jeremias Ponce at the Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota that saw him claim the vacant IBF title.
With a combined knockout ratio upwards of 90%, on paper it looks like the only thing that can prevent fireworks is ring rust.
Ergashev says he feels the weight of expectation on his shoulders.
“This my first type of fight [like this],” Ergashev said. “I feel the pressure. The country is supporting me and the government is supporting me. I’m the first fighter in this weight class from Uzbekistan to challenge for the world title. So, I definitely feel the pressure. But I’m also very excited.
“It’s a very interesting fight for me because most of the fighters that I’ve fought have always run from me because they knew of my power. So they were always very defensive.
“Matias is a very good fighter and he also comes forward. And he’s also very aggressive. So, I believe it’s gonna be a very fun and exciting fight for the fans because I like to mix it up, I like the give-and-take action and I know this fight is gonna present that.”