SHEFFIELD Arena will be bouncing once again on Saturday night when local prospect Dalton Smith takes on former multiple time world title contender Jose Zepeda.
Smith, 27, hasn’t put a foot wrong in the pro ranks since turning over with his father and head coach Grant in 2019.
English, British and Commonwealth title belts have arrived in spades during Dalton’s eye-catching 15-0 rise in the sport.
But on Saturday he attempts to push on from domestic level to the world stage and he has the perfect dance partner to judge how ready he truly is.
THE CONTENDER
California’s Jose Zepeda has been to boxing’s top table. A veteran of three world title fights, he’s fallen short on each occasion, but that fact doesn’t do justice to his stellar career.
Still only 34, the super-lightweight southpaw has a 37-4 record that features 28 knockouts.
‘Chon’ turned pro a decade before Smith in 2009 and went 23 fights unbeaten before travelling to Manchester to contest his first world title against Terry Flanagan in 2015.
Disappointingly, he suffered a dislocated shoulder in the second round and was removed from the contest. But seven quick wins later and he as back at world level against state rival Jose Ramirez.
The fight went the full 12, Zepeda losing a majority decision, still contested by fans to this day. Still, he didn’t surrender, cutting through a swathe of top contenders once more to eventually face Regis Prograis in world title fight number three in November 2022.
Again, Zepeda started well, but the power of the Texan proved too much and the fight was waved eventually off in the 11th round.
SHEFFIELD THUNDER
Smith has real power himself, registering 11 early showers from his 15 ringwalks.
But the level of competition he’s been used to facing is not in the same stratosphere as Zepeda’s resume.
Plodding points over Kaisee Benjamin and Billy Allington soured stoppages over Sam O’Maison and Sam Maxwell (his last outing, last summer). But the logic is that a step up is now required to fuel the fire of desire.
Timing is everything in boxing and Team Smith are hoping they’ve timed this opponent just right.
Zepeda is coming off his fourth career defeat and first ever loss outside of a world title fight, but that can be as opportunistic as it is challenging.
New York prospect Richardson Hitchins is very similar to Smith in that he’s 26 and 17-0. He gambled the Zepeda fight and claimed a massive scalp with classy boxing display.
But Zepeda isn’t cut from the cloth of a stepping stone fighter and has arrived in the UK determined to prove he’s not finished at boxing’s elite level.
BIG QUESTIONS
Smith has a dart of a right hand, a peach of a counter backfoot uppercut, and can win rounds off the jab if required. There’s no doubt he has the skills to leap forward.
The real questions surround Zepeda. Does he still harbour the desire for success he once had? Is he willing to put the work inside and outside of the ropes to guarantee that success?
If the answer is yes then this fight could be something pretty special. Smith hasn’t fought many southpaws as a pro, but the last one was O’Maison and he got dropped a lot!
Zepeda won’t go easily, but with a big home crowd Smith can continue his rise to the top.
NICK’S TIP
A real dust-up to whet the appetite as the unbeaten Dalton Smith puts it on the line against the tough, three-time world title contender Jose Zepeda, who will want to prove he’s got what it takes to get back to the top… Nick’s tip?
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