Smith vs Zepeda Undercard in FULL: Ryan vs Harper BIG Domestic Fight On March 23 Show

• Dalton Smith steps up to world level against three-time title challenger Jose Zepeda
• Sandy Ryan and Terri Harper battle in BIG domestic on Smith vs Zepeda Undercard
• A Breakdown Of The HUGE £7.7m Matchroom Lawsuit Against BOXXER & Sky Sports

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.

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. 

Smith vs Zepeda Undercard

WBO Welterweight World Champion Sandy Ryan (6-1-1, 2 KOs) puts her gold on the line against the two-division World Champion Terri Harper (14-1-2, 6 KOs) in a huge domestic clash which will serve as the Smith vs Zepeda chief support.

Derby’s WBO 147lbs ruler Ryan will be looking to bounce back from a controversial split decision draw against WBC and WBA World Champion Jessica McCaskill in Orlando last September.

Ryan was left bitterly disappointed following her World Title unification clash having felt she did enough to earn a career-best win.

Denaby Main’s Harper was also left frustrated after her draw with Cecilia Braekhus last October but the 27-year-old now has the opportunity to claim a World Title in a third weight division following her success at Super-Featherweight and Super-Welterweight.

In a mouth-watering domestic tussle, Darlington’s former British champion Troy Williamson (20-2, 14 KOs) will meet the undefeated Ishmael Davis (12-0, 6 KOs) in a ten-round super welterweight bout that has now been confirmed as a final eliminator for the British title.

Williamson recorded wins against Harry Scarff, Kieran Smith, Ted Cheeseman and Ted Cheeseman all back-to-back post-pandemic earning him the British title but he lost it in a wide decision defeat to local rival Josh Kelly.

Last time out, the ‘Trojan’ extended middleweight prospect Caoimhin Agyarko ten difficult rounds with the Belfast man keeping his 0 via split decision.

Davis got his dream opportunity of boxing on a TV show last time out and the Yorkshire man did not disappoint, stopping Ewan Mackenzie in their battle of undefeated prospects.

The Sunny Edwards-advised fighter is on a four-fight knockout streak and will look to make Williamson the fifth in the biggest night of his career in Sheffield.

Campbell Hatton (14-0, 5 KOs) goes for his first belt when he meets Doncaster’s James Flint (13-1-2, 3 KOs) for the Central Area Super-Lightweight Title.

Hatton has been a pro for almost three years and has racked up fourteen wins. Now he takes the big step up with the once-beaten Flint looking to pull off a shocker in Sheffield.

Nico Leivars (5-0-1) steps up the competition to take on Piotr Mirga (7-2) in a ten-round super bantamweight attraction to kick off the main card. The BBBofC confirmed on March 14 that this would be a final eliminator for Zahid Hussain’s English super bantamweight title.

Liam Cameron (22-5, 9 KOs), Leli Buttigieg (2-0) and Connan Murray (7-0) will also see action as well.

Cameron takes on Hussein Itaba (16-8-3), Buttigieg looks to become 3-0 against Bartlomiej Stryczek (2-2), and Murray’s opponent is yet to be announced.

By Darshan Desai

Images: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing