Jeremias Ponce: record, next fight and profile →
Alberto Zacarías, Jeremias Ponce’s trainer, explained why he decided to stop the recent world title fight against Subriel Matias. The two boxers were battling for the vacant IBF junior welterweight world title.
Some fighters are so consistently exciting it feels like watching them butter toast would be quality television. Every generation has them; the kind of guys who feel like they could be in a classic any time they step in the ring. Carmen Basilio, Bobby Chacon, Matthew Saad Muhammad, Nigel Benn, Arturo Gatti, Ruslan Provodnikov…the ceiling of accomplishment can vary, but the combination of guts, offense, and vulnerability makes every fight a must see.
Power-punching Subriel Matias showed why he’s become one of boxing’s most vaunted knockout artists as he stopped the previously unbeaten Jeremias Ponce after five rounds to win the vacant IBF 140-pound world championship Saturday night live on Showtime from The Armory in Minneapolis headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.
Matias, Ponce Fight Photos Gallery - Minneapolis - For the vacant IBF junior welterweight title, Subriel Matias (19-1, 19 KOs) became a world champion by stopped Jeremias Ponce (30-1, 20 KOs) in five rounds of warfare. (photos by Esther Lin)
94% of the punches landed in this fight were power punches (234 of 248). Jeremias Ponce threw 96 punches in the first round- a fight high for him, while Subriel Matias threw a fight low 38 punches.
By Keith Idec - Subriel Matias made Jeremias Ponce pay for his aggressive strategy Saturday night. Ponce overwhelmed Matias with pressure and activity in the first round of their 140-pound title bout, but Matias withstood Ponce’s onslaught, traded power shots with him for four more rounds and eventually prompted Ponce’s handlers to stop their fantastic firefight following the fifth round. Puerto Rico’s Matias (19-1, 19 KOs), who dropped Ponce late in the fifth round, won the previously vacant IBF junior welterweight title by technical knockout in the main event of a “Showtime Championship Boxing” tripleheader at The Armory in Minneapolis.
Matias, Ponce Scorecard BoxingScene Live - Matías vs. Ponce will see top super lightweight contenders square off as popular knockout artist Subriel Matías meets undefeated Argentine Jeremías Ponce for the vacant IBF 140-pound World Championship on Saturday, February 25 live on SHOWTIME from The Armory in Minneapolis headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event. (photos by Esther Lin)
Jeremias Ponce wants to remind fans Saturday night that they’re still developing boxing champions in Argentina. The Buenos Aires native grew up admiring Argentinean legends Marcos Maidana, Sergio Martinez and Lucas Matthysse. Well aware of his country’s rich boxing tradition, the prideful, undefeated junior welterweight contender understands how much it would mean to join them on Argentina’s list of champions if he can defeat favored Puerto Rican knockout artist Subriel Matias.
Subriel Matias remained focused on his career-altering task at hand the past few months. If the Puerto Rican power puncher wins against Argentina’s Jeremias Ponce on Saturday night, it’ll be the best moment of Matias’ boxing career. Matias, 30, and Ponce, 26, will fight for the vacant IBF junior welterweight title in the main event of a “Showtime Championship Boxing” tripleheader from The Armory in Minneapolis.
By Cliff Rold - Despite his inactivity, Josh Taylor remains the rightful, lineal king of the Jr. welterweight division. Taylor holds that position with a lot fewer belts than he did last time he stepped in the ring…and given the current state of boxing it’s probably for the better. Extra belts make for incentives to make more interesting fights in the absence of a champion available to defend. It was one incentive for the excellent Regis Prograis-Jose Zepeda match last year.