Smith made it clear he had no interest in going elsewhere.
“Matchroom Boxing backed me from day one. They allowed me to build at the right pace, to collect titles, to become a regular headliner in Sheffield, and to focus on achieving my dream of becoming WBC World Champion,” Smith said.
“There’s a lot of talk about loyalty these days, but my head hasn’t been turned. I’m delighted to commit my future to this winning team as we chase more success together.”
That line may be the most telling part of the release. Fighters do not usually mention loyalty or outside noise unless those conversations are active around them. Smith is now one of the stronger names at 140 pounds, unbeaten, improving, and based in a city where he can headline regularly.
He also pointed to a bigger target down the road by naming Hillsborough Stadium as a future goal, suggesting Matchroom sees him as more than an arena attraction.
Eddie Hearn moved quickly into selling the next chapter, saying Smith’s upset title win over Subriel Matias in Brooklyn should be the launch point for bigger nights ahead.
“The road to Undisputed begins now,” Hearn said.
That is the obvious sales pitch, but first Smith must deal with Puello, an awkward and experienced southpaw who is unlikely to cooperate with long-range plans. If Smith wins cleanly, the pressure for unification fights at 140 will grow fast.
Many fans feel Smith caught Subriel Matias on the slide. Given that his win relied more on tactical holding, it’s hard to see him unifying against someone like Shakur Stevenson, if he could even get a fight against him.
Alberto Puello is a spoiler himself. If Dalton tries to grab and hold a slick southpaw, he might end up losing a decision while the crowd in Sheffield boos.
Read the full article here