WBC Stadistics

WBC Super Lightweight World Championship.

June 19, 2025 / Texas, USA /  The Ford Center.

GOLDEN BOY PRESENT:

ALBERTO “La Avispa” PUELLO (Dominican Republic)

•             WBC Super Lightweight World Champion, 2nd defense

•             Former WBC Interim Super Lightweight Champion

•             Former WBC Latino Super Lightweight Champion, 1 defense

Age: 30 / Date of birth: July 22, 1994

Residence: Las Vegas, Nevada / Birthplace: San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic

Record: 24-0, 10 KOs / Total rounds: 176 / World championship fights: 2-0, 0 KOs

Height: 5’9.5” – 76cm / Reach: 71” – 180cm / Stance: Left-handed

Manager: Belgica Pena / Trainer: Bob Santos

SUBRIEL “Orgullo de Maternillo” MATIAS (Puerto Rico)

·      Ranked WBC No. 8 at Super Lightweight

Age: 33 / Date of birth: March 31, 1992

Residence, birthplace: Fajardo, Puerto Rico

Record: 22-2, 22 KOs / Total rounds: 118 / World championship fights: 2-1, 2 KOs

Height: 5’9” – 175cm / Reach: 71” – 180cm / Stance: Right-handed

Manager: Juan Orengo / Trainer: Jay Nahar

WBC SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS

1. Roberto Cruz (Phil) 1963

2. Eddie Perkins (US) 1963 – 1965

3. Carlos Hernandez (Ven) 1965 – 1966

4. Sandro Lopopolo (Ita) 1966 – 1967

5. Paul Fuji (US) 1967 – 1968

6. Pedro Adigue (Phil) 1968 – 1970

7. Bruno Arcari (Italy) 1970 – 1974

8. Pedro Fernández (Spain) 1974 – 1975

9. Saensak Muangsurin (Thai) 1975 – 1976

10. Miguel Velazquez (Spain) 1976

11. Saensak Muangsurin (Thai) * 1976 – 1978

12. Sang-Hyun Kim (Korea) 1978 – 1980

13. Saoul Mamby (US) 1980 – 1982

14. Leroy Haley (US) 1982 – 1983

15. Bruce Curry (US) 1983 – 1984

16. Bill Costello (US) 1984 – 1985

17. Lonnie Smith (US) 1985 – 1986

18. Rene Arredondo (Mexico) 1986

19. Tsuyoshi Hamada (Japan) 1986 – 1987

20. Rene Arredondo (México) * 1987

21. Roger Mayweather (US) 1987 – 1989

22. Julio Cesar Chavez (Mex) 1989 – 1994

23. Frankie Randall (US) 1994

24. Julio Cesar Chavez (Mex) * 1994 – 1996

25. Oscar de la Hoya (US-Mex) 1996 – 1997

26. Konstantin Tszyu (Australia) 1998 – 2003

27. Arturo Gatti (Canada) 2004 – 2005

28. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (US) 2005

29. Junior Witter (GB) 2006 – 2008

30. Timothy Bradley Jr. (US) 2008 – 2009

31. Devon Alexander (US) 2009 – 2011

32. Timothy Bradley Jr. (US) * 2011

33. Erik Morales (Mexico) 2011 – 2012

34. Lucas Matthysse (Arg) Interim 2012 – 2013

35. Danny Garcia (US) 2012 – 2015

36. Viktor Postol (Ukraine) 2015 – 2016

37. Terence Crawford (US) 2016 – 2018

38. Regis Prograis (US) Interim 2018

39. Jose Ramirez (US) 2018 – 2021

40. Josh Taylor (GB) 2021 – 2022

41. Regis Prograis (US)* 2022 –

42. Devin Haney (US) 2019 – 2023

43. Alberto Puello (Dom. Rep.) 2024 –

* Regained

TOP 10

1. Julio Cesar Chavez (Mex)

2. Oscar de la Hoya (US/Mex)

3. Kostya Tszyu (Rus/Aust)

4. Roger Mayweather (US)

5. Timothy Bradley (US)

6. Bruno Arcari (Italy)

7. Arturo Gatti (Canada)

8. Danny Garcia (US)

9. Devon Alexander (US)

10. Saensak Muangsurin (Thai)

GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION IN WBC HISTORY

38 world champions have been recognized by the WBC, five of whom have regained the title: Saensak Muangsurin (Thailand), Rene Arredondo (Mexico), Julio Cesar Chavez (Mexico), Timothy Bradley Jr. (US), Regis Prograis (US).

131 WBC super lightweight world title bouts have been held in WBC history.

MEMORABLE WBC SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTS:

Mar. 1, 2025     Alberto Puello W12 Sandor Martin – Brooklyn, New York

Dec. 9, 2023    Devin Haney W12 Regis Prograis – San Francisco, California

June 17, 2023  Regis Prograis W12 Danielito Zorrilla – New Orleans, Louisiana

Nov. 26, 2022   Regis Prograis KO11 Jose Zepeda – Carson, California

Feb. 26, 2022   Josh Taylor W12 Jack Catterall – Glasgow, Scotland

May 22, 2021   Josh Taylor W12 Jose Ramirez – Las Vegas, Nevada

Aug. 29, 2020   Jose Ramirez W12 Viktor Postol – Las Vegas, Nevada

Sep. 14, 2018   Jose Ramirez W12 Antonio Orozco – Fresno, California

Mar. 7, 2018     Jose Ramirez W12 Amir Imam – New York, New York

Aug. 19, 2017   Terence Crawford KO3 Julius Indongo – Lincoln, Nebraska

July 23, 2016    Terence Crawford W12 Viktor Postol – Las Vegas, Nevada

Oct. 3, 2015     Viktor Postol KO10 Lucas Matthysse – Carson, California

July 14, 2012    Danny Garcia TKO4 Amir Khan – Las Vegas, Nevada

Jan. 29, 2011   Timothy Bradley Jr. TW10 Devon Alexander – Pontiac, Michigan

Mar. 6, 2010     Devon Alexander TKO8 Juan Urango – Uncasville, Connecticut

June 25, 2005  Floyd Mayweather Jr. TKO6 Arturo Gatti – Atlantic City, New Jersey

Jan. 29, 2005   Arturo Gatti KO5 James Leija – Atlantic City, New Jersey

Nov. 3, 2001    Konstantin Tszyu TKO2 Zab Judah – Las Vegas, Nevada

June 7, 1996    Oscar de la Hoya TKO4 Julio Cesar Chavez – Las Vegas, Nevada

Mar. 17, 1990   Julio Cesar Chavez TKO12 Meldrick Taylor – Las Vegas, Nevada

May 13, 1989   Julio Cesar Chavez TKO10 Roger Mayweather – Inglewood, California

Nov. 12, 1987   Roger Mayweather TKO6 Rene Arredondo – Los Angeles, California

Apr. 8, 1978     Saensak Muangsurin KO13 Francisco Moreno – Hat Yai, Thailand

Mar. 6, 1971     Bruno Arcari W15 Joao Henrique – Rome, Italy

July 22, 1987    Rene Arredondo TKO6 Tsuyoshi Hamada – Kokugican, Japan

June 15, 1963  Eddie Perkins W15 Roberto Cruz – Manila, Philippines

Puello and Matias- overcomers of adversity

By James Blears

Wily and astute Alberto ‘’Avispa’’ Puello defends his WBC super-lightweight crown against power-punching Subriel ‘’Orgullo de Maternillo’’ Matias, in The Battle of the Caribbeans at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens on Saturday July 7th.

Undefeated southpaw Alberto 24-0, 10 KO`s is from the Dominican Republic while Subriel 22-2, 22 KO`s is from Puerto Rico. Both turned pro in 2015 and while Alberto has fought 176 rounds, Subriel has fought 118 rounds.

Quite apart from their ring careers, both men are battlers, who have triumphed against the odds of adversity, which life presented them in the form of exacting challenges.

As a youth Subriel got involved with the wrong crowd. In 2012, he was shot twice in the thighs in a hail of forty rounds, fired by two men in his general direction. Arrested some weeks later, he served nineteen months in Puerto Rico`s Federal prison for an assortment of crimes. He turned over a new leaf and turned pro after his release, transforming his life, saying; ‘’God works in mysterious ways. You are taking to a dead man who God brought back to life.’’

In some ways Subriel`s life mirrors that of Rocky Graziano, middleweight champion of the world, who shared the ring with Tony ‘’Man of Steel’’ Zale thrice and Sugar Ray Robinson, once. As a youngster, Rocky was the toughest street fighter on the Lower East Side, chalking most of his learning, via his dusty fists, in the asphalt jungle. He recalled: ‘’I quit school in sixth grade because of pneumonia. Not because I had it, but because I couldn`t spell it.’’

Rocky who had a wild juvenile record and was a contemporary of Jake LaMotta in Reform School, was actually called Thomas Rocco Barbella. He borrowed the name of an older man to gain a boxing licence, only to discover to his dismay, that the guy had an infinitely worse wrap-sheet than he did!

Sugar Ray Robinson, whose original name was Walker Smith, was not so unlucky. Rocky`s life was immortalized by the book entitled: Someone up there likes me. It was made into a movie starring Paul Newman.

All these years later, Subriel had a promising start to his pro career with eight undefeated bouts, following on, by stopping veteran Breidis Prescott via TKO in the third after two knockdowns.

Heartache was to follow, after he overcame hitherto undefeated Maxim Dadashev in an IBF eliminator. Maxim`s Trainer and former two- weight division world champion Buddy McGirt stopped the fight in the corner after a torrid round eleven. Maxim was rushed to hospital but died from a brain injury several days later.

In his next bout, Subriel lost a UD to Petros Ananyan, after getting badly rocked in the seventh, being driven into the ropes, which Referee Robert Byrd ruled as a knockdown.

Two stoppage wins later, he again fought Petros, who retired in his corner after being on the receiving end of nine battering ram rounds. Then, on to Jeremias Nicolas Ponce for the IBF title, who called it a day after five rounds. Yet…in his second defence, Subriel lost the title via a UD to Liam Paro. He`s bounced back with two TKO wins, to earn his opportunity for Green and Gold glory.

Alberto won his first title which was the WBC Latino championship stopping Abraham Peralta in eight rounds. He progressed to fight Jonathan Alonso for the WBA interim belt and won by UD.

Alberto fought and defeated Batyr Akhmedov for the vacant WBA title, winning a gruelling SD. His first defence was to be against Rolly Romero. But a VADA test detected the performance enhancing drug Clomiphene. It was a fertility medication he had taken, following minor surgery. He and his wife had trying to have a child together for years. He was suspended for six months and became Champion in recess. The postscript is that his Wife gave birth to a daughter.

So, it was back to the drawing board, with a fight against Gary Antuanne Russell, this time for the WBC Interim title, which Alberto won by a SD. When Devin Haney became Champion in Recess, Alberto was elevated to Absolute Champion. He fought a tough bout, defeating Sandor Martin by SD in yet another gruelling test, which he successfully came through.

Subriel is a swarming, high work rate, pressure fighter, who has power in both hands, particularly unleashing the left hook. Yet, he`s been twice defeated by opponents who employed a strategy to outbox, outwit and outhit him, after absorbing his best shots.

Alberto who is one inch taller than Subriel at five feet nine but his reach is an inch less, doesn`t possess the same power, but he is a clever boxer, with a sound defence, canny reflexes and smart ring generalship. Thin-faced, he has broad shoulders and a slim whipcord body, which is teak tough.

Subriel is definitely his most dangerous opponent up to this point. Subriel has already been a world champion and that adds a keen edge to the competition. To win and to retain his Green and Gold Belt, Alberto must weather an early storm, out-think and outsmart Subriel, utilizing his excellent boxing skills, sound defence, while spearing him with ramrod jabs, plus digging in some energy sapping rib ticklers. Subriel must go for broke, trying to overpower, drive back and swat ‘’The Wasp,’’ to neutralize his sting.

It boils down to power, its generation and the ability to temper it, tamper with it and control it. Will this be possible or will it surge, cascade and override vain attempts at containment?

All of this drama will upfold in the Louis Armstrong Stadium. As ‘’Satchmo’’ himself once said: ‘’You blow who you is.’’ He also suggested with clarion frankness: ‘’We all go do, re, me. But…you`ve got to find the other notes yourself.’’