NEW YORK —
Alberto Puello didn’t get the nod on the scorecards this time around.
The Dominican southpaw counterpunched Puerto Rican knockout artist Subriel Matias at times, took his vaunted power well and appeared to do enough to win a decision on the
Edgar Berlanga-Hamzah Sheeraz undercard at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens. It was Matias, however, who won their 12-rounder by majority decision.
Judges Ron McNair and Tony Paolillo scored Matias a 115-113 winner. Judge Frank Lombardi scored their bout even, 114-114.
Puello (25-1, 10 KOs) lost the WBC 140-pound championship to Matias (23-2, 22 KOs), who won by decision for the first time in 25 professional fights. Turki Alalshikh announced in the ring after Matias’ win that he wants Matias to fight England’s
Dalton Smith (18-0, 13 KOs), the WBC’s mandatory challenger, on “The Ring IV” pay-per-view card November 22 at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Matias, 33, entered their fight Saturday night ranked sixth among
The Ring’s 140-pound contenders, four spots behind the second-rated Puello, 30.
Puello’s two previous victories came by
split decision against Spain’s Sandor Martin and American Gary Antuanne Russell. He wasn’t as fortunate Saturday night against Matias, who became a two-time 140-pound champion almost 15 months after Australian southpaw Liam Paro upset him to win the IBF junior welterweight title in Manati, Puerto Rico.
Puello’s power, or lack thereof, wasn’t enough to hurt Matias, or even to briefly stop him from coming forward throughout their bout. He still compiled points by countering consistently against an opponent who didn’t make many adjustments during 12 rounds of action.
The 12th round mirrored many of the prior rounds, as Matias came forward but didn’t land many consequential punches.
Puello stunned Matias with a left uppercut 20 seconds into the 11th round. That was the most eye-catching punch of the second half of their bout.
Referee Eric Dali warned Puello for holding with about 20 seconds to go in the 10th round. Matias came on somewhat during that round and Puello showed some signs of fatigue.
Matias’ straight right backed Puello into the ropes about halfway through the seventh round. Puello wasn’t hurt, though, and kept throwing punches at Matias while boxing off his back foot.
A right hook by Puello made Matias reset his feet just after the midway mark of the sixth round. Matias resumed his relentless pursuit of Puello, who was booed for holding Matias in the sixth round.
Dali warned Matias 25 seconds into the sixth round for using his forearm against Puello’s neck.
Fans became restless in the fifth round, when neither fighter landed many clean punches.
Matias pressed Puello again in the fourth round. Puello took his punches well, however, and compiled points even though his shots didn’t affect Matias.
A determined Matias hit Puello with short shots as he press forward in the third round, but Puello’s punches were more eye-catching from longer range. Matias backed Puello into the ropes late in the third round, however, and caught him with a left hook.
Puello continued to connect while moving backward during the second round.
Puello hit Matias with a right hook after the bell sounded to end the first round. That foul drew a stern warning from Dali.
Puello established some distance and landed several effective punches while fighting off his back foot during the first round. A left uppercut by Puello landed flush with just under 15 seconds on the clock in the opening round.
Keith Idec is a senior writer and columnist for The Ring. He can be reached on X @idecboxing.