In the co-feature of Nonito Donaire vs. Nordine Oubaali, Puerto Rico’s Subriel Matias was able to get Batyr Jukembayev out of there towards the end of the mid-sessions.
Matias (17-1, 17 KOs) delivered another power-punching display, breaking down previously-unbeaten Jukembayev (18-1, 14 KOs) until Jukembayev’s corner stopped the bout after eight riveting rounds.
“I think this is what everybody expected. Everybody knew it was going to be a great war,” said Matias. “This was going to end by knockout whether I was going to get knocked out or Jukembayev was going to get knocked out. I’m just glad it was me who knocked him out.”
Matias establishes himself as one of the best in a stacked division, but this latest win wasn’t easy. Kazakhstan’s Jukembayev came out strong, landing a right hook-right uppercut combination upstairs from his southpaw stance that got Matias’ attention in the first.
Jukembayev pushed the pace in the second. Matias began letting his hands go in the third, throwing in combination to the head and body. Both combatants were now fully warmed up, setting the stage for a fourth-round that could be a candidate for “Round of the Year.”
It began when a hard left hook staggered Jukembayev and drove him to the canvas. Matias sought to close the show, but Jukembayev held on, cleared his head, and started landing his own shots.
With a minute left in the stanza, Jukembayev stunned Matias with a left cross. Matias fought fire with fire instead of clinching, bringing the crowd out of their seats with toe-to-toe action until the bell sounded.
SUBRIEL MATIAS RELENTLESS
Matias never stopped coming forward. Following a one-sided sixth, Jukembayev returned to his corner with both eyes swelling shut. The back and forth ensued in the seventh as Jukembayev buzzed Matias with two right hooks toward the end of the round.
Matias returned to the driver’s seat in the eighth round, pounding away at Jukembayev with both fists. In total, he out-landed Jukembayev by 100 punches (234/608 to 134 /409) and was more accurate (38.5% to 32.8%). The accumulation of blows was enough to convince Jukembayev’s corner to request the bout be stopped.
“He knew he had nothing to lose, and he came in and was doing everything strong,” said Subriel Matias. “He knew that all he could do was knock me out to win. I would have done the same thing. That’s a warrior’s heart, and he has all my respect.
“After that fourth round, I mean, he is a very competitive fighter, so it turned into war after that point. My hands go up to him as well. It was a great fight. I definitely have had other opponents that were very good, but this is the one that has given me the hardest test.”
