Dalton Smith secured a convincing unanimous decision victory over Mathieu Germain across 12 rounds in Sheffield, effectively positioning himself for a world title opportunity. The bout was seen as a crucial step before challenging for the WBC super-lightweight championship currently held by Alberto Puello, and Smith made sure not to overlook his Canadian opponent.
Smith successfully defended his WBC super-lightweight Silver title with dominant scores of 117-107 and two cards of 119-105, clearly outboxing and outfighting Germain.
Following the comprehensive win, Smith wasted no time in calling for his next target: “All I want to say is I want that world title next,” he declared, later confirming his respect for Puello but his clear desire for the belt.
He commented on Germain`s resilience, noting the Canadian had moved down in weight for the fight. “Credit to Mathieu Germain, he was tough. I landed some big shots. We needed these rounds,” Smith added, suggesting the distance was beneficial.
Smith scored a significant knockdown late in the second round, planting his feet and landing a powerful counter left hook that sent Germain heavily to the canvas.
Given the apparent differences in size and power, it often felt like only a matter of time before Smith would land another telling blow. A skimming uppercut in the third round visibly bothered Germain.
Germain had a few brief moments of activity, particularly when Smith lingered near the ropes, but the gritty visitor was largely on the back foot, surviving and managing to withstand Smith`s assault despite suffering a cut near his left eye.
At times, Smith seemed to lose focus, prompting guidance from his corner, led by his father and trainer, Grant Smith. Referee Victor Loughlin also had to remind Smith of the rules after he strayed low in the fifth round.
Smith continued to target the body in an effort to slow the agile Germain, who spent periods of the fight moving defensively around the ring. Germain was knocked down for a second time in the contest by a prodding right hand from Smith in the 11th round.
The final round saw Smith deducted a point for another low blow, which preceded Germain going down again. Despite these moments and Smith`s clear dominance, Germain showed immense heart, managing to see out the final bell.
While Mathieu Germain (26-3-1, 11 KOs) demonstrated toughness and went the distance, he appeared significantly smaller than Smith (18-0, 13 KOs). Some observers felt Smith might benefit from facing a stylistically different opponent to better prepare for a world-level challenge like Alberto Puello.
Post-fight, promoter Eddie Hearn indicated that Germain told him he had broken his jaw during the fight, explaining his survival-focused approach. Hearn confirmed the future plans for Smith: “Next time we see [Dalton Smith] we’ll be fighting for the world title.”
