For many Puerto Rican boxers looking to rise to prominence, New York has often served as their home inside the squared circle.

Hall of Famers and multiple-division champions Felix Trinidad and Miguel Cotto made Madison Square Garden their home base. Amanda Serrano will headline at Madison Square Garden for a second time on July 11 when she faces undisputed junior welterweight champion Katie Taylor for a third time. Ascending Puerto Rican stars Edgar Berlanga and Xander Zayas have fought in the Big Apple on numerous occasions.

Subriel Matias of Fajardo, Puerto Rico, hasn’t fought in New York once through his 24 fights.

That’ll change on July 12 for Matias, a former IBF junior welterweight titleholder, when he faces Alberto Puello for his WBC junior welterweight title on The Ring’s pay-per-view show at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York. With Matias (22-2, 22 KOs) set to step into the ring in New York for the first time in his career, his co-promoter, Dmitriy Salita, believes his fighter will have an opportunity to cement himself as the next star to come from Puerto Rico.

“To create real Puerto Rican stars, you need to connect them to the New York City community,” Salita told The Ring. “That's what we want to do with Subriel Matias and this fight is a significant fight against the champion in a unique venue is really what he needs to propel his career to the next level. We are very excited about that opportunity for Subriel Matias.”

Matias, 33, has won two straight fights by stoppage since losing his IBF title when he was defeated by unanimous decision by Liam Paro in Puerto Rico on June 15, 2024. His last fight, an 8th-round stoppage of Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela on March 1 in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, was his first with Salita Promotions as his co-promoter and made him the mandatory challenger for IBF welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins.

Rather than wait for Hitchins (20-0, 8 KOs) after his eighth-round stoppage of former undisputed lightweight champion George Kambosos on Saturday, Matias landed the opportunity to fight Puello (24-0, 10 KOs) of the Dominican Republic on the undercard of Berlanga vs Hamzah Sheeraz.

Puello was elevated from interim WBC champion to full titlist after his split decision victory over current WBA junior welterweight champion Gary Antuanne Russell on June 15, 2024. In his lone defense of the WBC title, Puello pulled out another razor-thin split decision victory over Sandor Martin on March 1.

Puello vs. Matias has largely flown under the radar, being on the same card as Berlanga vs Sheeraz, which is a WBC super middleweight title eliminator, and Shakur Stevenson vs William Zepeda for Stevenson’s WBC lightweight title. But with the stakes and clash of styles with Matias’ nonstop pressure and volume against a tall, rangy southpaw in Puello, Salita believes that fight could be the talk of the card when it’s all said and done on July 12.

And with that, another star from Puerto Rico could emerge in New York.

“It’s great to be involved as his promoter now,” Salita said. “I believe that fight is going to steal the show.”