Elvis Rodriguez has decided not to accept a fight with former IBF welterweight champion Subriel Matias. In his place, 140-lb contender Rodriguez (17-1-1, 13 KOs) could fight Yomar Alamo (22-3-1, 13 KOs).
Team Rodriguez’s excuse for refusing to fight Matias is that he is “doesn’t deserve” it. It’s a strange reason to fight him because Elvis is not a world champion; he is just one of many contenders in the 140 lb. division.
There is a lot more to gain for Elvis Rodriguez fighting Subriel Matias than Yomar Alam, who is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision loss to Delante Johnson on September 27th.
However, one positive thing about fighting Yomar Alam is that there is minimal risk of Elvis being knocked out. He is not a hitter like Matias, and Rodriguez’s odds of winning are much higher.
The real reason?
That excuse would have been more credible if Rodriguez had fought some of the A-level contenders in the welterweight division, such as Gary Antoine Russell, Arnold Barboza Jr. or Sandor Martin. The fight against Yomar Alam gives the impression that Elvis wanted no part in the fight against Subriel Matias and the defeat of their fighter again.
Matias (21-2, 21 KO) would be a tough fight for ‘Dominican Kid’ Elvis Rodriguez, so it’s no surprise that his team decided not to take this match. Rodriguez already lost to Kenneth Sims Jr. in 2021 and has been bouncing back ever since.
Elvis, 28, has won his last six fights since then, albeit against middling opponents rather than against predatory sharks in welterweight. It would be great if he at least tried to fight one of the dangerous rivals since he lost to Sims for years.
“No, Subriel Matias. [He] he doesn’t deserve a chance,” reports @cesarseda. “Inside Sources Reveal Top Rank Manages: Elvis Rodríguez vs. Yomar Álam.”
Obviously, it wouldn’t be a good idea for Team Rodriguez to simply say they don’t want to fight Matias because he’s too risky.
