Dalton Smith announced himself on the global stage on Saturday night in New York, stopping Subriel Matias in the fifth round to win the WBC light-welterweight world title at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.
In a ferocious exchange that lit up the arena, the 28-year-old from Sheffield stood toe-to-toe with the heavy-handed Puerto Rican before dropping Matias with a looping overhand right. Matias beat the count but staggered badly as he rose, prompting the referee to halt the contest.
“Listen, it’s the first time in my career I’ve been the underdog and the first time I’ve fought a monster,” Smith said afterwards. “Take nothing away from Subriel, he’s a great champion.
“I didn’t really stick to the tactics tonight. I played him at his own game. You can’t hurt me and I knew I’d get to him.”
The victory makes Smith Britain’s fifth current male world champion, joining Fabio Wardley, Lewis Crocker, Jazza Dickens and Nick Ball. It also marked the first stoppage loss of Matias’ career, ending his run of 26 fights without defeat.
Ticket sales were reportedly modest, but there was no shortage of noise from the travelling British supporters as Smith made his ring walk to When the Sun Goes Down by Sheffield band Arctic Monkeys. Inside the arena, however, the atmosphere largely favoured Matias, backed by New York’s sizeable Puerto Rican community. The champion appeared so relaxed that he paused for selfies with family members during his walk to the ring.
Matias was making the first defence of the title he won against Alberto Puello in July and, as he has done before, started slowly. Smith took advantage, winning the opening round with sharp punches to head and body. Matias edged the second, forcing Smith backwards as blood trickled from the Briton’s nose.
After a scrappy third round, Smith made the unexpected decision to trade with a fighter known for relentless pressure and power. Matias entered the bout with 22 knockouts from 23 wins, while Smith had stopped 13 of his previous opponents.
Smith landed several heavy left hooks at the end of the fourth round and, after briefly stumbling from a Matias combination early in the fifth, came roaring back. Two clean left-right combinations snapped Matias’ head back before the decisive overhand right sent him to the canvas.
There was a brief protest from Matias at the stoppage as Smith’s trainer and father, Grant Smith, rushed into the ring to celebrate.
Before the fight, promoter Eddie Hearn had said “justice shall be served”, a remark widely interpreted as a reference to Matias’ adverse drug-test findings. Matias tested positive for the banned substance ostarine in a Voluntary Anti-Doping Association out-of-competition test in November, with the B-sample also returning an adverse finding. The New York State Athletic Commission ruled the concentration detected was below the threshold used by major boxing jurisdictions, allowing the bout to go ahead.
During fight week, Smith spoke of his ambition to emulate the late Ricky Hatton by building a fanbase willing to follow him to the United States. A world-title victory on American soil is likely to have accelerated that process.
“This is a message to every kid out there,” Smith said. “Do not let anybody tell you you can’t achieve your dreams, because if you work hard, you can do it.”
By winning his first world title in the US, Smith joins an exclusive list of British fighters that includes Bob Fitzsimmons, Alan Minter, Lloyd Honeyghan, Nigel Benn, Darren Barker, James DeGale and Kell Brook.
Attention will now turn to the rest of a crowded light-welterweight division. WBO and Ring Magazine champion Teofimo Lopez is set to face Shakur Stevenson on January 31, while Gary Russell holds the WBA belt and Richardson Hitchins is the IBF champion.
Hearn has hinted that a celebratory homecoming could come next. “Smith has announced himself as the light-welterweight superstar,” he said. “Now, fighting at Hillsborough is a reality.”
