THE ART OF MATCHMAKING
Each step that the 16-0 Dalton Smith has taken thus far has been excellently executed
THERE is an art to building boxing champions, the intricacies of which are not always obvious.
Whether matchmakers are selecting the right opponents to develop the prospect at the right time or the promoter is banging the drum to generate attention, there will always come a point – in the careers of the most successful – when risks must be taken.
Such was the case last weekend when the rising Sheffield super-lightweight Dalton Smith took on – and then knocked out – contender-turnedgatekeeper Jose Zepeda.
After four rounds of cagey chess play, in which Zepeda proved his ability and canniness, Smith spied a hole in the veteran’s defence in the fifth. Check was soon followed by checkmate when a right hand bulleted into the Californian’s stomach.
The victory over Zepeda is more than just four and a half rounds of boxing excellence – it is the product of understanding the importance of not wasting a move nor an opportunity on the way up.
Smith progressed from fighting the conventional prospect fodder in his fifth fight; gone at that point was the conveyor belt of opponents with losing records.
Thus began his climb up the ranks, with each new rival either a little more accomplished than the last or the bringer of a box that Smith needed to tick. Opponent number five, Benson Nyilawila, was a southpaw. Opponent number six, Nathan Bennett, a British opponent who came to win. Opponent number seven, Ishmael Ellis, tall and ambitious. Opponent number eight, Lee Appleyard, a former English champion in the midst of a fine run of form – et cetera, et cetera.
Though Zepeda represented his biggest step up yet, it was also all part of the plan. The fourth southpaw that Smith had encountered in his 16-fight professional career was 34 years old, at least three years removed from his peak and he’d only won one fight in the preceding 24 months.
Cleverly engineered behind the scenes before expertly executed by Smith himself, bigger tests than this nonetheless await. And with this kind of career management, Smith will have the best possible chance to succeed when they arrive.
Many now hope the next test comes against Adam Azim, the wunderkind and European champion at 140lbs.
Though this is a mouthwatering prospect, don’t be too harsh on Azim if it doesn’t happen immediately, however.
A relative pup at the age of 22, and without any real senior schooling at amateur level, the 11-0 Azim has the right to take his own step up when he feels ready – in exactly the same way that Smith did. The good news is he’s not that far off.