NEW YORK — Subriel Matias has a higher opinion of the southpaw he'll fight Saturday night than the one who upset him a year ago.

Australia's Liam Paro surprisingly outpointed Matias and won the IBF junior middleweight title from him in June 2024. The Puerto Rican knockout artist acknowledged after an open workout Wednesday, though, that he considers his title fight with Alberto Puello a more complicated assignment.

Matias (22-2, 22 KOs) will challenge Puello (24-0, 10 KOs) for his WBC 140-pound championship as part of "Ring III," a DAZN Pay-Per-View show at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens.

"He's a more elusive fighter," Matias told The Ring regarding Puello. "He's more complete, taller, has better defense. He's got good skills, can box and move."

While respectful of the Dominican champion's capabilities, Matias is also certain Puello has not encountered an opponent as strong and relentless as him on his way to becoming a two-time champion in the junior welterweight division.

"He’s a good fighter," Matias said, "but he never fought a fighter like me."

Puello has beaten two southpaws — Spain's Sandor Martin (42-4, 15 KOs) and American Gary Antuanne Russell (18-1, 17 KOs) — by split decision in his last two bouts, both 12-rounders. Matias is right-handed, applies plenty of pressure and was 8-0 with eight knockouts against southpaws before Paro's unanimous decision over him at Juan Abreu Coliseum in Manati, Puerto Rico.

A motivated Matias wants to demonstrate that his loss to Paro was an aberration. The 33-year-old former champion also realizes a victory over Puello would move him back into the prominent position he occupied prior to the Paro fight.

"I'm gonna be super happy when I win," Matias said, "because it's a promise I made to Puerto Rico and my family to win a title [again]."

Matias isn't concerned that he will oppose Puello in a ring larger than what Turki Alalshikh wanted when he spoke out about boxers on The Ring's cards needing to provide fans with more entertainment.

As The Ring reported Tuesday, multiple fighters on this card declined to fight in a ring that measured 18 feet inside the ropes. A standard ring, 20 feet inside the ropes, will be used instead Saturday night and could provide Puello with the room he needs to outbox Matias.

“We prepared all camp in a ring that's 20 feet by 20 feet,” Matias said. "So, it's not gonna be any different. We're prepared and it's not gonna be different in the fight. We're gonna do our job."

DraftKings' odds on this bout between Puello (minus-120) and Matias (minus-105) are almost even. Matias still feels like he is a big underdog due to his loss to Paro (26-1, 16 KOs).

"I wish the odds were 100-to-1 because my people and me could make a lot more money," Matias said. "We're in the position where we're underestimated, but that has motivated me to get that win."

The Puello-Matias match is scheduled to immediately precede another 12-round championship clash in which Shakur Stevenson (23-0, 11 KOs) will defend his WBC lightweight title against mandatory challenger William Zepeda (33-0, 27 KOs). DAZN's coverage is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. ET in the United States ($59.99) and 10 p.m. BST in the United Kingdom (£24.99).