LAS VEGAS: Super lightweight boxers Subriel Matias and Shohjahon Ergashev didn't have to talk much for whispers of war to develop into full-blown battle cries Saturday at the Michelob Ultra Arena inside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
We've been lucky, in this city, to witness fantastic exhibitions of exceptional boxing, fan-friendly clashes, or scintillating performances, going back to March when David Benavidez out-gunned Caleb Plant, including Gervonta Davis' finish over Ryan Garcia the following month, as well as Terence Crawford's historic masterclass over Errol Spence Jr.
Last week, though, Shakur Stevenson bored fans with a drab match against Edwin de los Santos.
Without a punch being thrown, the suggestion through fight week this time around was that Matias and Ergashev couldn't even spell boring — let alone play that kind of fight out.
These fighters had a combined record of 39 knockouts from 44 appearances, and Ergashev, in particular, was throwing shots like Matias owed him money. He even had Matias writhing in agony, almost buckling over, from a body shot early — using his length to snap a southpaw power punch into his opponent's ribs from close range. Pow — how's that for a painful welcome to the main card.
Quick start for Shohjahon Ergashev 👀 #MatiasErgashev #BenavidezAndrade
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) November 26, 2023
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Matias had few answers for the Ergashev riddle in the early stages. His stance, together with the lightning-quick power he could muster from very little leverage, ensured Matias would throw little, and infrequently, compared to the cracks, bangs, and combination shots coming from the challenger.
Though Matias did not have the same kind of pop on his punches, he was still able to touch Ergashev multiple times, in numerous places, to the side of the jaw, a glancing shot off the temple, and short-range double hooks to the cheek.
In the fourth, Matias forced Ergashev into a neutral corner and bounced his fists off of his opponent's skull, yet all it seemed to do was rouse Ergashev to fight fire with fire rather than fire with water.
.@SubrielMatias was relentless in the corner in round 4 🥵#MatiasErgashev #BenavidezAndrade
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) November 26, 2023
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All that energy spent throwing with bad intentions in the opening round may have caubght up with Ergashev midway through the fight as he was lagging enough for Matias to take over, backing Ergashev back into the ropes, forcing him to tie up, and take a few steps back.
Ergashev relied on upper body movement and cute feints to get away from Matias' shots, and was far more patient with his own output, perhaps knowing that it was fine to fall behind on the scorecards if it meant he could save what energy he had left so he could land his own hail Mary knockout blows.
But just two seconds into round six, after request from Ergashev's corner, the fight was over. Knowing he'd won, forcing his opponent to metaphorically tap on his stool, Matias danced to rouse the crowd, before the music popped.
For the fifth time in a row, Matias made an opponent refuse to answer the bell for another stoppage win. "It's my team that makes that happen," he said. "I knew he didn't have the power to knock me out … so that's when I knew I could start to attack.
"For a southpaw I need three or four rounds to decipher them and then what you saw tonight is usually what happens," Matias said.
"Gervonta Davis … come over here and fight!"
