BROOKLYN, NY — Fresh Productions are the new kid in town when talking boxing in New York City, a boxing promotion based in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Yes they are established and debut Saturday evening in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center.
Give them an opportunity, New York and boxing have a history with Hall of Fame promoters Don King, Bob Arum (Top Rank) and others. The champions from Puerto Rico and Hall of Famers Félix Trinidad, Héctor Camacho, Miguel Cotto, to name a few. And recently crowned 23-year old Xander Zayas who defends his WBO junior middleweight title later this month in San Juan.
Subriel Matias, once with Matchroom Boxing, is the champion now in that promotional alliance with Fresh Productions, his first defense of the WBC junior welterweight title headlines Saturday night. Matias (23-2, 22 KO’s) doesn’t have the stardom of other champions. His opponent, 28-year-old Dalton Smith (18-0, 13 KO’s) from Sheffield, England is better known in the UK.
Subriel Matias and Dalton Smith will meet in the ring this Saturday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York – Image Credit: Fresh Productions
The toughest test for Smith, a fighter with a power punch and his third time fighting on American soil, a win and he cops the headlines, becomes an immediate player in a contested division that includes champions Teofimo Lopez and Richardson Hitchins.
But the question when this fight was finalized, why New York City? Eddie Hearn of Matchroom who holds rights to Smith could have opted for Puerto Rico, or perhaps in the UK. Ticket sales are slow, though boxing fans tend to walk up to the gate before fight time.
Matias is a known commodity in Puerto Rico, though not in the same limelight as Trinidad or Cotto, even Zayas. He draws interest in Puerto Rico, Hearn is aware of Matias, a fighter once under his promotional banner. It certainly does raise the question, and there has been minimal buzz from the New York Puerto Rico fan base.
There has been little buzz in the Tri-State area leading up to the bout between Subriel Matias vs. Dalton Smith on Saturday, January 10th – Image Credit: Barclays Center
Again vastly different when Trinidad, Cotto, and Camacho had their championship fights in New York. Even with Zayas, there has been more of a buzz when he fights at Madison Square Garden.
Hearns had the answer this week, though it always pinpoints to the money in promoting a championship fight, even with the debut of Fresh Productions in the Big Apple with a large contingent of Latino boxing fans in New York. Smith has a following, perhaps not as many will attend in his quest to become a champion from the UK.
Regardless this was a fight more fit to be staged in San Juan. The UK was an option. But when the champion and two promoters put their heads together it becomes a joint effort. New York and Barclays Center with an undercard of fighters from Puerto Rico became the final destination.
Since opening in 2012, the Barclays Center has hosted over 250 professional boxing fights and 60 title bouts – Image Credit: Latino Sports
Undefeated featherweight Keith Colon, (8-0), all via knockout with five fights last year, will have supporters from nearby Newark, New Jersey. Bantamweight Jeyvier Cintrón opposes Jonathan Rodriguez (10 rounds) while Alfredo Santiago and Hendri Cedeno (10 rounds) have some implications in the junior welterweight division.
Mathias and Smith for 12-rounds is significant on the seven-bout card, all streamed live on PPV.com. And it’s all contested in New York, appropriate though with a history of championship fights.
Hearn said, “We thought we were going to Puerto Rico, so we are even happier to be in New York, but we would have gone to Timbuktu. It doesn’t matter.”
Eddie Hearn speaking to the press on Thursday in Brooklyn ahead of Dalton Smith’s and Subriel Matias’ main event set for this Saturday – Image Credit: Fresh Productions
But it does matter to Hearn, a promoter from the UK and consensus leader among a contingent that stage world wide boxing events. He has the rights to many champions and success in New York. His former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (UK) had a debut at the Garden in June 2019, stopped and lost his title reign to Andy Ruiz Jr. in front of a raucous and sold out arena that was an upset of the year.
Matias, though, has no intention of dropping his title. It did not matter also if the fight was in New York, San Juan, or as Hearn said in Timbuktu. He can fight and with minimal attention, there are fight fans who will show, but not before a full house in Brooklyn.
Recall, Matias was dropped by Hearn after his IBF title loss to Liam Paro in 2024. There could be some dissension, but this is boxing and at times a nasty business. Matias carried on and Fresh Productions became his business.
“My enemy, my opponent is not Eddie Hearn,” said Matias through a translator. “It is Dalton. “He can say what he wants,” referring to Hearn who said “Thank God I am not a fighter.”
Subriel Matias and Dalton Smith meet face-to-face during Thursday’s press conference in Brooklyn – Image Credit: Fresh Productions
Yes, it got ugly at times during the final press conference Thursday afternoon at Barclays Center. There is a mutual respect with Matias and Smith and a title is a stake. Smith can punch and Matias has the edge in championship fights.
Regardless, the fight came to Brooklyn.
It should have been in San Juan, then again that’s a story for another day.
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and columnist at LatinoSports.com – X (@Ring786) Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
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