Undefeated Sheffield boxer Dalton Smith (18-0, 13 KOs) has confirmed that a potential showdown with Adam Azim is not on his immediate agenda. Smith, the mandatory challenger for the WBC super-lightweight title, is currently concentrating on securing a world championship opportunity. The current champion, Albert Puello, is scheduled to fight former champion Subriel Matias on July 12 in New York.
Speculation surrounding a future clash between Smith and Azim has been prevalent within British boxing circles for the past year. Smith, 28, last competed in April, earning a dominant points victory over Mathieu Germain across twelve rounds. Meanwhile, Azim, 23, achieved his most notable win to date in February, stopping former world titlist Sergey Lipinets. Azim was slated to compete on the Simpson-Zucco undercard last Saturday in Barnsley, but his bout was cancelled by the British Boxing Board of Control due to concerns raised by the Mexican Boxing Commission regarding his opponent, Eliot Chavez.
Smith was present at the Barnsley event to support a stablemate in their final career fight. When asked about the possibility of facing Azim, Smith indicated that the time isn`t right at this moment. He suggested that the anticipated fight will happen eventually, stating that the opportunity now rests with Azim`s team. Smith believes that winning a world title would make such significant domestic clashes even more likely.
