Vinny's Corner

Last night’s Subriel Matias vs. Dalton Smith fight at Barclays Center was an absolute shocker and one of the bigger upsets in recent boxing memory!

Everyone expected the Puerto Rican “boogeyman” Subriel Matias (with his ferocious pressure, iron chin, and 22 KOs in 23 wins) to overwhelm the undefeated Brit in his first world title shot and first fight on U.S. soil. Instead, Dalton Smith turned the script completely on its head.

The fight started as a wild, toe-to-toe war—Smith refused to back down, got drawn into Matias’ phone-booth slugfest, and ate some heavy shots early. It looked like Matias might be taking over as the rounds progressed… but then BOOM, in the fifth round, Smith landed a massive right hand (followed by a vicious overhand right) that dropped Matias hard. The champ beat the count, but he was wobbly and stumbling, and the ref wisely waved it off at 2:26 for the TKO. First knockout loss of Matias’ career, and Dalton Smith (now 19-0, 14 KOs) is the new WBC super lightweight champion!

What a statement performance. Smith showed heart, timing, power, and composure when it mattered most. He beat Matias at his own game: swarming, trading bombs, and landing the cleaner, more decisive shots.

Huge props to the Sheffield fighter for ignoring the doubters and delivering in the biggest moment of his career.

Meanwhile, this shakes up the entire 140-pound Super Lightweight (Junior Welterweight) division. Matias’ all-out aggressive style finally caught up to him without the defense to match the volume, and now the belt is across the pond. Britain has another world champ to celebrate!

Massive congrats to Dalton Smith—what a way to announce yourself on the world stage.

Who should he face next? Gary Antuanne Russell? Or Maybe the winner of Teofimo Lopez and Shakur Stevenson? The division just got way more interesting.

By Vincent

Photo courtesy of Ring Magazine