Nick Peet | Dalton Smith vs Walid Ouizza

UNBEATEN Dalton Smith can continue his push towards a world title shot in 2025 by adding the European crown to his collection of belts on Saturday night.

The Sheffield ‘Thunder’ puts his perfect 16-0 record on the line in a bid to win the famous blue and gold strap and with it enhance his growing world title prospects.

Frenchman Walid Ouizza (19-2) has made the trip to Nottingham Arena aiming to cause the unlikely upset.

But the 33-year-old hops the Channel to face a quality super-lightweight that is six years younger and moving into his peak performing years.

THUNDER

Smith, 27, is competing and completing boxing the right way.

First English, then British, Commonwealth and next, hopefully, the European belt, he’s building a solid foundation before taking a crack at the top of the division.

Whilst others choose to avoid the domestic route and shortcut their way to the top, often largely untested, Smith and head coach and father Grant have opted for the far more laborious but steadfast path.

With a dozen knockouts in those 16 wins too, he has the pedigree and the power to go a long way in the sport, as he proved emphatically last time out.

Three-time world title contender Jose Zepeda was judged as a significant test for Smith last March and arrived in Sheffield as a decade-long top-ranked contender.

But Smith took him out inside five rounds, a straight right to the body leaving the Mexican-American crestfallen on all fours and unable to beat the referee’s count.

A similarly destructive performance this weekend will surely light the touchpaper on what could be a huge year for Sheffield’s latest major boxing prospect.

RIVALRY

Whether this year also includes a fan-friendly, stadium-filling all-British showdown with domestic rival Adam Azim, however, remains to be seen.

The 22-year-old from Slough has so far avoided any mandated Smith showdown by circumnavigating the domestic scene. Yet he actually won this European title first.

Azim captured the crown in 2023, but relinquished after a single defence last February. Next weekend, he takes on former world champion Sergey Lipinets at Wembley Arena.

Two young and unbeaten 10-stone potential superstars, Smith vs Azim has an air of inevitability around it. Especially, with the financial impact Saudi Arabia is having on the sport.

Potentially, a world title belt is required first. Absolutely, both must win on consecutive weekends too.

INACTIVITY

Smith will not only be giving away height and reach to the skeletal-framed Frenchman, but Ouizza has also been a little more active.

The visitor may have only had one more fight than Smith since the start of 2023, but he’s fought 34 competitive rounds across those three consecutive points decision victories.

Smith on the other hand, thanks largely to a troubling shoulder injury, has boxed only once in the last 19 months and completed just 12 rounds in effectively two years.

The two losses on Ouizza’s record are both from early in his career, he’s won his last 11, but he does lack punching power at championship level. All eight of his stoppage wins were against journeyman opponents.

Smith represents a dangerous step up in quality for the visitor.

Ouizza’s chin hasn’t let him down so far and may well hold out once more. But it’s that wiry frame which represents the biggest target for Smith to focus on over 12 scheduled rounds.

TIP: Smith by TKO, Rounds 7-9