Dalton Smith Earns Impressive Knockout Win Over Jose Zepeda
Dalton Smith secured a significant victory in his boxing career, defeating Jose Zepeda via a crushing body shot in the 5th round. This triumph took place in front of his hometown fans at the Sheffield Arena in Sheffield, England, elevating Smith into the class of legitimate contenders at 140 pounds.
Smith's Clinical Finish and Ambitions
"A lot of people thought this fight was too soon for me," Smith said. "I was hitting him with some clean shots, he walked into an uppercut, and then I knew I could hurt him." This impressive knockout over a three-time world title challenger is the highlight of Smith's career thus far.
Smith's immediate goal is to face the 22-year-old European champion Adam Azim (11-0, 8 KOs), also from England. "I don't call many names out," said Smith. "But Adim Azim, where are you at? I bet he vacates that title. I respect him, but the European title is something I want."
Zepeda's Setback and Smith's Rise
For Zepeda, this defeat is another setback in his pursuit of a world title. After three failed attempts at world titles and three losses in his last four fights, Zepeda's career is taking a downward turn.
Smith's Next Steps
Moving forward, Smith plans to face Jack Catterall or Josh Taylor, who are scheduled to fight on May 25th. Winning the WBC Silver super lightweight championship could put him in a position to challenge the winner of the Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia fight.
Ryan Defends Welterweight Title
In another notable bout on the card, Sandy Ryan successfully defended her WBO world welterweight title with a stylish performance against English rival Terri Harper. Ryan's victory was a dominant one, overwhelming Harper from the opening bell to the fourth round, when Harper's corner pulled her out of the fight.
Other Notable Results
- Nico Leivars defeated Piotr Mirga in a super bantamweight clash, earning a knockout victory.
- Campbell Hatton faced Jimmy Flint in a Central Area super lightweight championship fight, but Flint emerged victorious.
- Troy Williamson was ineligible for the spoils in his super welterweight clash against Ishmael Davis due to being over the agreed weight.
- Davis won a unanimous decision over Williamson, becoming the frontrunner for the British title later this year.
Fight Highlights From the Night
- https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/39796043/dalton-smith-defeats-jose-zepeda-round-5: Smith's fifth-round knockout against Zepeda.
- https://www.dazn.com/en-GB/news/boxing/dalton-smith-wants-huge-all-british-fight-after-knockout-win-over-jose-zepeda/1s03nqaf14qpy1sv1i9cvll3c6: Smith expresses his desire to fight Adam Azim.
- https://www.ringtv.com/667036-dalton-smith-knocks-jose-zepeda-out-in-5th-round-calls-for-adam-azim-showdown/: Smith's dominant performance against Zepeda and his callout of Azim.
- https://www.boxing247.com/boxing-news/live-boxing-results-tonight-dalton-smith-vs-jose-zepeda/275901: Live updates and results of the Smith-Zepeda fight.
- https://boxingnewsonline.net/dalton-smith-vs-jose-zepeda-live-updates-and-results/: Live updates and results of the Smith-Zepeda fight.
- https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/boxing/article-13112759/Dalton-Smith-spent-years-looking-Kell-Brook-claims-hes-ready-bypass-role-model-insists-beating-Jose-Zepeda-land-biggest-battles-biggest-stages.html: Smith's ambitions to surpass his role model, Kell Brook.
- https://tss.ib.tv/boxing/featured-boxing-articles-boxing-news-videos-rankings-and-results/80467-dalton-smith-kos-jose-zepeda-and-sandy-ryan-stops-terri-harper-in-england: Highlights of Smith's knockout and Ryan's title defense.
Dalton Smith's impressive victory over Jose Zepeda marks a significant step forward in his career, propelling him into the ranks of top contenders. His quest to become a world champion continues, and his next target is the European champion Adam Azim. As Smith's star continues to rise, fans can expect more thrilling fights and potential title opportunities in the future.
