Dalton Smith says he’s found a “weakness” in the sport of WBC light welterweight champion Subriel Matias that he’s going to reveal after they fight on November twenty second in Riyadh.
The Eddie Hearn-promoted Smith (18-0, 13 KOs) isn’t giving any hints about what the weakness is, but he says he studied Matias’ loss against Liam Paro last 12 months to identify them. It’s pretty obvious what Dalton observed.
Subriel Matias’s vulnerabilities revealed
- Feet must be set to punch: He can’t punch on the move. Subriel struggles when his opponents run across the ring, as we saw against Paro and Alberto Puello.
- Vulnerable to roughhouse tactics: Paro shoved him and hit Matias always with rabbit punches. He didn’t respond in kind, and the referee who worked their fight did nothing to stop these tactics by Liam. In fact, a high quality referee who does his job would prevent the roughhouse stuff if that’s what Dalton might be using as his path to victory.
- Doesn’t jab: Matias focuses an excessive amount of on throwing power shots, and he could be nailed on the best way in.
“Everyone says he’s the boogeyman. When he fought [Liam] Paro, I said, ‘Don’t be surprised if Paro beats Matias.’ I just found this weakness in his style, and clearly, Paro exposed him slightly bit,” said Dalton Smith to Ring Magazine, talking about his fight against WBC light welterweight champion Subriel Matias on November twenty second.
Why Smith’s claims sound deluded
Smith, 28, has weaknesses as well, starting together with his lack of experience against elite competition. He’s been well-groomed by Matchroom promoter Hearn, fed a gentle food plan of C-level opposition his entire profession. Dalton’s last two fights against Walid Ouizza and Mathieu Germain were considered significant step-ups in school for him, yet neither were anywhere near the identical talent level as Subriel.
Smith has a high regard for himself, saying he’s a “nightmare” for Matias, a comment that is tough to take seriously given his weak resume. If he had actually beaten someone good, that remark would make more sense. Along with his best profession wins coming against Quizza and Germain, all you may say is he sounds deluded.
Dalton’s lack of proper preparation
If Dalton gets blown out by Matias on November twenty second, Hearn must view this as a lesson in matchmaking. It doesn’t repay to match a fighter against weak opposition after which throw them in with a world champion without going through a correct step-up phase to arrange them. On this case, Smith must have already fought these 140-lb contenders:
- Jamaine Ortiz
- Ernesto Mercado
- Lindolfo Delgado
- Oscar Duarte
- Arnold Barboza Jr.
- Sandor Martin
- Isaac Cruz
- Keyshawn Davis
All of those fighters would likely beat Dalton Smith with ease. Hearn promotes Ernesto Mercado, and he could have easily made a fight between him and Smith by now. Why hasn’t he? I believe we all know the reply.
Last Updated on 08/04/2025