Shohjahon Ergashev has finally made it.

After a long journey of fighting in stay-busy bouts and playing the waiting game, Ergashev will fight for a world title belt.

Not to mention that the fight has the potential of becoming a candidate for fight of the year.

Ergashev will challenge IBF world junior welterweight titleholder Subriel Matias Saturday night at the Michelob Ultra Events Center inside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 12-round bout will be part of the Showtime Championship Boxing Pay-Per-View telecast (8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT).

In the main event, super middleweight contenders David Benavidez and Demetrius Andrade will square off in a clash of unbeaten fighters.

Saturday’s Matias-Ergashev fight is another clash between unbeaten boxer-punchers that could steal the show. Matias and Ergashev are rated at No. 4 and 9, respectively, by The Ring.

Ergashev (23-0, 20 knockouts), who is originally from Rakhmon, Uzbekistan and now lives and trains in Detroit, Michigan, cannot wait for the fight to take place. He is cognizant of Matias’ power and ability, including rebounding from a decision loss to Petros Ananyan in February 2020, to winning the rematch by knockout almost two years later.

The Puerto Rico-born Matias (19-1, 19 KOs) has won his last four bouts.

“I am focused on winning the fight and showing the boxing world what I am all about,” Ergashev told The Ring Thursday morning. “I am very happy that he is one of the top fighters in my division.

“I have been awaiting this opportunity my whole life. I am trained (and) ready, (both) physically and mentally. I love it.

The 31-year-old should be familiar to boxing fans, particularly those who have watched the sport on Showtime programming, since Ergashev has fought on a handful of ShoBox cards. Ergashev scored a knockout win over Sonny Fredrickson in January 2018, a decision win over Mykal Fox over a year later, and back-to-back knockout wins over Abdiel Ramirez and Adrian Estrella months later.

Promoter Dmitriy Salitas has promoted club shows in and around the Detroit area to keep the unbeaten fighter busy. In his last fight on August 10 of last year, Ergashev stopped once-beaten Angel Martinez Hernandez in the fifth round.

Ergashev has appreciated Salita and his attempts to secure a significant or world title fight over the last several months. He is currently ranked No. 3 by the IBF, with the top two spots vacant.

“My promoter worked hard, smart, and strategically for me,” said Ergashev, who is trained by Sugarhill Steward. “I am very grateful to Dmitriy Salita. I have been with him since the beginning. He promised me that I would get this title (shot) years ago. He delivered and I didn’t have doubts.”

Ergashev has been readying himself for an all-out war against Matias that will surely produce fireworks Saturday, however long the fight lasts.

He can also win a world title belt and solidify himself as a top fighter at 140 pounds. Some may doubt he has the firepower or can withstand the punches from Matias, but Ergashev is betting he will score a big win in Las Vegas.

As far as who is the best at 140 pounds, Ergashev remains coy.

“We will find out Saturday night.

“You will see on Saturday what I am all about.”

Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached at [email protected]

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