Subriel Matias is officially free to choose the opponent of his liking for his next title defense.

Who chooses to face him, however, remains a very short list.

The reigning IBF junior welterweight titlist continues to challenge his fellow divisional title holders and top players. Matias continues to crave for unification bouts versus WBO/lineal champion Teofimo Lopez (19-1, 13KOs), WBC title claimant Devin Haney (31-0, 15KOs) and WBA belt holder Rolando Romero (15-1, 13KOs). High-profile contender Ryan Garcia (24-1, 20KOs) also represents a lucrative option for anyone at the weight.

Of that list, Matias has emerged as the highest risk and who carries the lowest reward.                  

“The really best 140 is here,” Matias insisted in a video posted to his Instagram channel. “No Teofimo, p-ssy. No Ryan, who is Ryan? No Haney, chicken. No Rolly, he’s a joker and the worst one.”

His name came up repeatedly throughout Saturday’s DAZN show which featured two bouts in his division along with representation from every other titlist at the weight ringside at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

Lineal and WBO champion Teofimo Lopez name dropped Matias (20-1, 20KOs) whom he hoped to face on February 8 Matias’ team cited a hand injury that was healing at the time and asked for a slight delay. Lopez instead moved on to DominiRican contender Jamaine Ortiz, with hopes that a mouthwatering unification could possibly take place in June.

Newly crowned interim WBA titlist Ismael Barroso (25-4-2, 23KOs) was more than open to such a fight when posed with the question by reporters shortly after his first-round knockout of Ohara Davies. Rising contender Arnold Barboza (29-0, 11KOs) also mentioned his desire to next face the ferocious-punching Boricua, during post-fight interviews following his stoppage win over Xolisani Ndongeni after eight rounds on Saturday.

Fajardo, Puerto Rico’s Matias is in the voluntary defense phase of his title reign which dates back to his fifth-round stoppage of unbeaten Jeremias Ponce last February 25. He honored his mandatory challenger obligations in a November 25 defense versus Shohjahon Ergashev, whom Matias forced to quit on his stool after five rounds.

The hope now is to land a high profile fight before his next mandatory is ordered later this year.

“What happened? I’m here,” stated Matias. “Who want to fight with me? Who?”

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. X (formerly Twitter): @JakeNDaBox