After being delayed for nearly a year, the fight for the vacant IBF super lightweight title between Jeremias Ponce and Subriel Matias is finally here. On Saturday night, the Matias vs Ponce fight live from The Armory in Minneapolis will air on SHOWTIME. It will headline a three-fight card was put together by the PBC, with each contest scheduled for a minimum of 10 rounds.
Matias vs Ponce Fight Live Stream Details
- When: Saturday, February 25, 2023
- Start Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT
- Location: The Armory – Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Matias vs Ponce Fight Live Stream: SHOWTIME
How to Watch Matias vs Ponce Fight Live for Free
A PBC production, the Matias vs Ponce fight live from The Armory in Minnesota will broadcast Saturday night on SHOWTIME. Fortunately for fight fans, this bout does not carry the extra cost of a pay-per-view. That means that anyone who has SHOWTIME’s service already can flip over to the channel on their television provider, or stream it live from SHOWTIME’s website or app.
For those who don’t currently have the platform’s service, there is a great offer for a free trial that SHOWTIME is running a limited-time trial that is available to new customers only. After the end of the trial period, the monthly cost is $10.99.
Fight Preview
Since Josh Taylor vacated the IBF super lightweight world title last year by not defending the title last summer, the belt has sat without a champion. As Boxing Scene reported last fall, a lot of boxing politicking in that time has seen the IBF explore a number of options before setting a hard-timed window for Matias and Ponce to meet in the ring by the end of February 2023. With just days left in the month, they certainly cut it close. Off for more than a year each, neither fighter took a tune-up fight to prepare for this weekend.
Ponce (30-0-0, 20 KOs) enters the contest hot as he has remained undefeated since 2015. He is on a three-fight knockout streak since 2021, though his strength of opponent in that stretch leaves more to be desired. Nonetheless, the Argentinian talent has taken care of business to reach this point – his first world title shot since he claimed (and since vacated) the IBO super lightweight belt in 2019. He will have a three-inch height advantage over his opponent, Mathias.
Matias (18-1, 18 KOs) has undeniable power, as evidenced by his record. The only time in his career that a fight has gone into the final round was in February 2020 when he lost a 10-round contest by unanimous decision. That card was super close, and Matias going down in the seventh surely sealed his fate in that one. Still, he’s built the necessary momentum since then, winning his last three outings by corner stoppage, including handing a pair of undefeated boxers their first loss.
Matias vs Ponce Fight Card and Odds
Favorite (Odds) | Underdog (Odds) | Rounds | Division |
---|---|---|---|
Subriel Matias (-380) | Jeremias Ponce (+310) | 12 Rounds | Vacant IBF Super Lightweight Title |
Jamal James (-295) | Alberto Palmetta (+220) | 12 Rounds | Welterweight |
Elvis Rodriguez (-425) | Joseph Adorno (+295) | 10 Rounds | Super Lightweight |