Dalton Smith: Beyond The Ropes
Dalton gets a hometown first defence of his WBC world super-lightweight title on Saturday night. Sheffield’s Utilita Arena will play host to a difficult-looking night for Smith. The 32-year-old Alberto Puello has only lost once in his professional career, and the former two-time world champion is coming to Yorkshire to spoil the party. Literally.
But the local fighter is coming off a career-best victory. A stunning performance against Subriel Matias that earned Smith the WBC bauble, and he is now seemingly at his physical peak.
Smith (19-0) hasn’t fought since that famous American away trip in January. Lingering elbow problems required surgery, but the Sheffield is keen to build on that incredibly impressive performance against Matias. A victory over Puello (25-1) should lead Smith to a series of lucrative unification fights in 2027. Maybe even that long-awaited all-British showdown with Adam Azim. As boxing history often tells us, we had better not hold our breath.
At 8/15, Smith is the odds-on betting favourite to retain his WBC world title. But at just 13/8, the bookies know the serious threat Puello possesses. Only Matias has beaten him previously. A wafer-thin, and somewhat controversial majority decision defeat last year cost Puello his WBC world super-lightweight title. The Dominican Republic fighter has rebounded with a tune-up win in July. At 32, he can hardly be considered a fighter beyond his prime. The mandatory challenger seems to be in the mood for a third reign as a world champion.
“I am here to get back that title; that was taken away from me,” Puello said at Thursday’s press conference. “We come in now better prepared for the fight than we were last time against Subriel Matias, and we are ready to get back what is ours.”
Despite all the pre-fight confidence, Puello will know he is up against it. It is hard not to be impressed by what Smith did to Matias in New York nine months ago. Smith stood his ground and traded with a known puncher like Matias before stopping the reigning champion in five rounds. Make no mistake, that stunning victory is as good as any British fighter has achieved on American soil in recent times. It might not quite match what Lloyd Honeyghan did to Donald Curry all those years ago. But it’s certainly in the upper echelons of away victories by British fighters.
It was a win the 29-year-old needed. Immensely talented, but Smith was seemingly treading water in his career after a period of frustrating performances and inferior opposition. But the manner of that victory over Matias was a timely reminder of his obvious ability.
“The night in New York is a memory that will last forever, but it is old news now,” Smith said on Thursday. “There is a lot more I would like to go and achieve in boxing. And on Saturday night, that is where we are going to pick back up where we left off. The best fighters bring the best out of me.”
Puello is that kind of fighter. A different type of challenge from Matias, but a formidable one nonetheless. If Smith isn’t on it, he will know defeat is a distinct possibility. But that seems unlikely. Smith has worked too hard to let it go because of complacency. Especially on home soil.
It’s a tough night’s work for Smith in his first defence. The close odds say plenty. But Dalton Smith should win. And I believe that he will, albeit in a fight where he will have to show an extreme amount of patience and discipline.
Photo Credit: Matchroom Boxing
