Finally official, for January tenth at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The first press conference will be Monday, November 10th at 10am EST on the Fresh Productions Boxing pages on YouTube & Facebook. WBC super lightweight title at stake, first defense of Matías. Smith is the #1 ranked mandatory contender. Matías is currently ranked #2 in the Ring Magazine ratings at 140lbs, behind only Richardson Hitchins and Ring champion Teófimo Andrés López. He previously held the IBF title for sixteen months from 2023 into 2024. The unbeaten Yorkie challenger has 1½″ of height on the Puerto Rican but gives up four centimeters of reach. Smith is also five years younger. Matías' kayo percentage is a whopping 95.65% and Smith's is a lower but respectable 72.22%.
Looking forward to this one. I've got Matias winning by late stoppage between 9-12, but he could be behind on the cards.
If I was going to put my hard earned on it, given those odds I would go for Smith or the draw. But that aside and focussing on what will most likely happen, Smith is grossly underprepared for the onslaught Matias will bring. Yes Smith has a few fights that have gone late, but they are against unthreatening fighters who make the rounds at British level or below. Matias can be a bit crude at times (although that is relative, as Matias' "crudeness" is at a level above what Smith is accustomed to), but Matias hits like a mule and will carry his power and will to win throughout all twelve. For me, the two most likely outcomes are Matias breaking Smith's heart down the stretch, or connecting early and laying Smith out in the first half.
I live 15 mins from Dalton and the word round here is that his hands are fcked after various issues/operations & his career won't go much past 30.
I think the end is nigh for Matias, don't know if Smith is going to beat him but even though he won last time out he just had that look of shopworn