Britain’s Dalton Smith asserted himself on the global stage by defeating Subriel Matias in New York to capture the WBC lightweight world title.
In the fifth round that lit up Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, Smith went toe-to-toe with the hard-hitting Puerto Rican and knocked him down with an overhand right.
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Mathias lies on the canvas. Although he beat the count, he stumbled to his feet, prompting the referee to wave the fight off.
“This is the first time in my career that I’ve been the underdog and the first time I’ve fought a monster,” Smith, 28, said.
“Don’t take anything away from Subril – he’s a great champion.
“I didn’t really follow the playbook tonight. I played him on his own terms.
“I gave my dad a little heart attack out there because that wasn’t the game plan, but I took all his best shots and thought ‘You can’t hurt me.’ I knew I could get to him.”
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Smith joins heavyweight Fabio Wadley, welterweight Lewis Crocker, super featherweight Jazza Dickens and featherweight Nick Power as one of Britain’s five current men’s world champions.
Ticket sales were reportedly modest, but there was a roar from the touring supporters as Smith made his way to the ring to watch “When the Sun Goes Down” by Arctic Monkeys from his hometown of Sheffield.
However, this feels like a home battle for Matias, with New York’s strong Puerto Rican population firmly behind the 33-year-old.
He looked so relaxed that he stopped to take selfies with his family during the loop.
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Matías made his first defense of the title against Alberto Puello in July, but he got off to a slow start at times and Smith took advantage of that, landing sharp and crisp punches to the head and body in the opening round.
Mathias narrowly missed the second goal, forcing Smith to take the back foot, with blood pouring from the Englishman’s nose.
After a scrappy third pick, Smith surprisingly chose to trade with the No. 1 pick.
Matias, who has 22 knockouts out of 23 wins, is known for his relentless pressure and heavy punching. However, Smith also has the ability to stop his opponents, with 13 knockouts of his own.
He landed some big left hooks to end the fourth round. Then came the defining moment of his career, when Smith truly burst onto the world stage.
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After a brief defeat in the Mathias combination, an unflappable Smith made a comeback in the fifth round exchange.
He connected with two right-left combinations, snapping Matias’ head back before landing a decisive overhand right.
Mathias briefly protested the referee’s decision, while Smith’s trainer and father Grant rushed into the ring to celebrate.
Subriel Matias had first stop in 26 games [Getty Images]
Smith joins top British players in US win
Fight promoter Eddie Hearn said before the fight that “justice will be served,” which was widely interpreted as a reference to Mathias’ adverse drug test results.
Matias tested positive for the banned substance ostarine in a Voluntary Anti-Doping Association out-of-competition test in November, with a B sample also returning negative results.
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The New York State Athletic Commission ruled that the concentrations detected were below the threshold used by major boxing jurisdictions, allowing the fight to proceed.
During boxing week, Smith spoke of his desire to emulate the late Ricky Hatton and build a fan base willing to follow him to the United States, while a world title victory overseas would win him legions of new admirers.
“This is a message to every kid. Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t achieve your dreams, because if you work hard, you can do it,” Smith said.
By winning his first world title in the United States, Smith joins an exclusive list of British boxers such as Bob Fitzsimmons, Alan Minter, Lloyd Honeygan, Nigel Benn, Darren Barker, James DeGale and Kell Brook.
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Smith can now set his sights on the other top contenders in the division. WBO and Ring Magazine title holder Teofimo Lopez will face Shakur Stevenson on January 31, while Gary Russell holds the WBA belt and Richardson Hitchens is the IBF champion.
“Show me the money,” Smith said. “Now let me enjoy this moment – I’m going to embrace it. The future is bright.”
Matchroom boss Hearn hinted that homecoming celebrations could be next.
“Smith has announced himself as a lightweight superstar,” Hearn said.
“The battle at Hillsborough (Sheffield Wednesday Football Club’s ground) is now a reality.”