Arnold Barboza Jr. Welcomes Fights With Subriel Matías, Ryan Garcia

Arnold Barboza Jr. stands alone.

The unbeaten junior welterweight has repeatedly called out IBF 140-pound world champion and Puerto Rican wrecking ball Subriel Matías.

Matías Vs. Barboza in 2024?

Arnold Barboza Jr. stopped the durable Xolisani Ndongeni for a TKO8 in his Golden Boy Promotions debut on January 6. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing

Barboza (29-0, 11 KOs) doesn’t have much choice. Like Matías, the 32-year-old Los Angeles-based fighter is a high-risk, low-reward option. Although both are highly skilled, they don’t bring much money to the table, which many promoters would use as grounds to look the other way. According to Barboza, both fighters have acknowledged their willingness to make a fight happen. On the other hand, the teams have yet to give their take on the matter.

“We haven’t gotten to any negotiations yet,” he told NYFights. “I did talk to his trainer [Coach Panda] in Texas, and he said Subriel would like to fight me next, that he thinks I deserve the opportunity, and I told him, ‘Yeah! Let’s talk to my pops and talk to my team, and let’s see if they can talk to Golden Boy.’ We haven’t gotten a call from Eric [Gomez] yet. I know we are going to call Eric to see what’s the next move. If it’s him or it’s not him, I’m looking to stay busy.”

Eddie Hearn Praised Matías, Calls For War

Subriel Matias is high on Eddie Hearn's list of top fighters who aren't breaking the bank. Photo: Ryan Hafey, Premier Boxing Champions

Speaking with NYFights last month in Arizona, Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn criticized promoters that overpay for bad fights. Instead, he offered a solution: pay more money for wars.

“[I’ll] tell you a fighter I like at the moment, Subriel Matías, 140-pound IBF champion. He’ll fight anyone. And at the moment, he wants a lot of money, but it’s not enough money to watch that guy go in. He’s a beast, you know what I mean? And you pay up.

“Say you’re making a fight for [$2.5] million for Teofimo Lopez or $3 million for Teofimo Lopez against some guy you’ve never ever heard of. And you put that on TV or make Matías against another great fighter in a war. That’s what we’ve got to focus on more, not just pandering to fighters who have a deluded perception of their commercial value but overpaying fighters to be in wars. I think that’s what we need to do.”

Could Puerto Rico vs. Mexico produce the war boxing fans have been craving?

Arnold Barboza Jr. On Fighting Matías: “You’re Gonna Get Hit!”

Previously with Top Rank, Arnold Barboza Jr. (R) hopes to to continue his progress at lightweight with Golden Boy Promotions. Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images

Barboza has taken the first step towards a potential clash with one of the most dangerous men in boxing today. Of course, he feels he’s ready for a world title shot at this stage of his career. On the other hand, he’s willing to take a risk to prove his worth.

“You can give away the gameplan with Matías cause you know what’s gonna happen with him; he’s gonna come forward and throw a lot of punches. You’re gonna take punches [fighting Matías]. That’s not something [you can avoid].”

Puerto Rico’s Matías (20-1, 20 KOs) has stopped five opponents in a row, and four of those victories have come against previously unbeaten competition, including Malik Hawkins, Batyrzhan Jukembayev, Jeremias Ponce (for the vacant IBF world title), and Shohjahon Ergashev.

Barboza stated that it would take a special kind of fighter to defeat Matías.

“With a guy like Subriel, you have to be able to take a punch first off, be able to withstand all the punches that he’s gonna throw at you and have some type of defense. But obviously, you do got to match volume with volume. I think your offense could also be your defense in a way.”

He also analyzed past Matías opponents’ mistakes that got them knocked out.

“You can’t go in there and try to kill the man,” Barboza explained. “Because he’s just going to let you waste your energy, and that’s when he takes full advantage, like in the fourth, fifth, and sixth-round — that’s when he starts picking it up.”

“I think you got to be [well-conditioned]. You have to fight the fight of your life on that night.”

Barboza, who signed with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions following a long tenure with Top Rank, is coming off an eighth-round TKO of South Africa’s Xolisani Ndongeni last Saturday at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. The scheduled 10-round bout served in support of the 12-round main event featuring Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Frederick Lawson.

Ryan Garcia Or Subriel Matías?

Arnold Barboza Jr. is ready for anyone Oscar De La Hoya puts in front of him, but his choice is Ryan Garcia. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing

After initially calling out Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia had an abrupt change of heart and announced on Saturday that he wants to face WBA junior welterweight titlist Rolando Romero instead.

Those plans could be on hold after Ismael Barroso shocked the world when he scored a first-round TKO victory over Ohara Davies on January 6. The 40-year-old Venezuelan, who was stopped by Romero in highly controversial fashion last May, floored Davies twice in the first round, leaving the Englishman in no shape to continue, and the ref waved off the fight. The win gave Barroso the WBA interim title, which means he has earned a rematch against Romero.

This could potentially mean that Garcia will be available for Barboza. If given a choice between Garcia and Matías, the 32-year-old picked ‘King Ry.’

King Ry Is Barboza's Target

Arnold Barboza Jr. would love to take on stablemate Ryan “King Ry” Garcia. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing

“Honestly, if they were to offer me Ryan or Matías, I would pick Ryan just because of the name that he comes with and the platform that it would be on. And it would be easier cuz it’s [we’re with] Golden Boy. Ryan’s definitely a fighter that, if I was to be offered that fight, I would take that fight in a heartbeat over any champion because of what comes with it — the name he brings.

“I would be honored to welcome him into the 140-pound division officially because he fought a [135-pound] guy [Gervonta “Tank” Davis] last time, and he fought at 143 [before that]; he didn’t fight at 40.

“So if he wanted to fight even at a catchweight, bro, it’s even better for me. I don’t think he want that fight though, I don’t think he wants these problems. But if he does, hats off to Ryan.”

We offered Barboza a hypothetical counterproposal. “Let’s say [Team Matias] they offer you a little bit more money, [a number] that will make you consider a different decision. Would you still pick Ryan?”

“That boils down to, I still gotta think about my family financially, too. Money always wins, right? At the same time, beating a guy like Ryan Garcia, you would skyrocket even more. I don’t know, man. That would be a tough decision. That wouldn’t be a bad decision [to fight Matías]. That would be something that I would sit down and discuss with my pops. Like I said, I welcome both those fights.”