Alberto Puello, the former WBC light welterweight titleholder, is displeased with the WBC due to alleged interference preventing him from exercising his rematch option against Subriel Matias. This follows Puello’s loss of his championship title to Matias on July 12th in Queens, New York, a defeat determined by a narrow decision during a voluntary title defense.
WBC Allegedly Impedes Puello’s Rematch
Given that the initial match was a voluntary defense, and with Puello (24-1, 10 KOs) possessing a rematch clause, it was expected he would be granted an immediate opportunity to reclaim his title. However, complications have arisen as the WBC president, Mauricio Sulaiman, had previously mandated that the new WBC champion, Matias (23-2, 22 KOs), undertake a title defense against the mandatory challenger, Dalton Smith. This contest is scheduled for November 22nd in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Puello’s options are currently limited to awaiting the outcome of the Matias vs. Smith bout, after which he can advocate for a fight against the victor. Should Smith emerge victorious, it might prove advantageous for Puello, potentially leading to a more significant match than a rematch with Matias.
During their fight on July 12th at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York, Puello’s performance seemed sufficient to secure a victory against Matias. However, the judges favored the pressure exerted by Matias.
Puello Aims for Championship Rematch
“I extended the opportunity for the World Title to Matias. I hold the firm belief that I was the rightful victor, regardless of the judges’ scoring. We possess a rematch provision, yet its activation is being impeded. I would like to remind @wbcmoro that I recently satisfied the mandatory requirement,” expressed Alberto Puello on X.
“Alberto Puello is reasserting his entitlement to a rematch against Subriel Matías; however, the prevailing issue is that Mauricio Suleiman had already stipulated, one week prior to their initial encounter in NY, that the winner must confront the British fighter, Dalton Smith. The situation is ambiguous, given the existence of a contractual immediate rematch and a fight decreed by the organization,” conveyed Carlos Linares on X.
