Dalton Smith Next Fight: Major Title Added To March 23 Fight With Dangerous Jose Zepeda

Major Title Added To Dalton Smith’s March 23 Fight With Dangerous Jose Zepeda

Fast-rising Super-Lightweight contender Dalton Smith (15-0, 11 KOs) steps up against the USA’s three-time World Title challenger Jose Zepeda ( 37-4, 28 KOs) on Saturday, March 23 at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena live on DAZN.

‘Thunder’ reinforced his credentials as a future World Champion last time out by sensationally wiping out Liverpool’s Sam Maxwell with a vicious one-punch knockout in the seventh round of their meeting in Sheffield to add the Commonwealth Super-Lightweight Title to his British Title that he has now won outright.

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California’s Zepeda has twice challenged for world honours at Super-Lightweight – falling short on points against Jose Carlos Ramirez for the WBC crown in 2019 before suffering an eleventh-round stoppage against Regis Prograis for the same title in November 2022.

In his only previous visit to the UK Zepeda suffered a dislocated left shoulder during his challenge for the vacant WBO Lightweight World Title against Manchester’s Terry Flanagan. 

Dalton Smith Next Fight Puts Him Step Closer To Title Shot

Smith, who is ranked #12 in the world with the WBC, will fight for the vacant WBC silver super lightweight title in his bout with WBC #26 Zepeda.

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A win over Zepeda and claiming the prestigious championship should put Smith firmly in the top 10 and move him one step closer to a shot at the WBC world title.

Richardson Hitchins, who meets Gustavo Lemos on April 6 in Las Vegas, previously held the WBC silver title and currently sits at #2 in the rankings.

Winning the WBC silver title and making multiple defences against ranked contenders should put Smith well-placed in the governing body to land a vacant title shot should Devin Haney relinquish his championship.

By Darshan Desai

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