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Sheffield's own Dalton Smith delivered the performance of his career by defeating the experienced Californian Jose Zepeda with a fifth-round body shot finish in Sheffield.
The fight, which took place at the Sheffield Arena and was broadcast on DAZN, saw Smith, the British and Commonwealth super lightweight champion, improve his record to an impressive 16-0 with 12 knockouts.
"A lot of people thought this fight was too soon for me, and I've had a couple of dreams about getting knocked out tonight, but that's what made me train harder, and I showed where I belong tonight," said a jubilant Smith after thrilling his fans in the main event.
From the opening bell, Smith seemed the bigger man, but Zepeda was looking to land his long southpaw left hand. However, Smith's superior speed and accuracy soon began to tell, and he was able to control the fight with his precise counterpunching and well-timed combinations.
In the fifth round, a short right hand from Smith seemed to stun Zepeda, and moments later, a thunderous body shot sent the Californian to the canvas, where he was unable to beat the count.
The official time of the stoppage, by referee Victor Loughlin, was 1:25 of the fifth round. Zepeda, a 34-year-old three-time title challenger, had lost two of his past three fights but was seen as Smith's stepping-stone into world-level competition.
After the fight, Smith called out European champion Adam Azim, stating,
"Adam Azim, where you at? Eddie does all my talking, but there's one reason Adam hasn't vacated that title; it's because he thought I was going to lose tonight. But do you know what? I bet he vacates now."
Smith expressed his desire to fight for the European title and urged Azim to either defend the title against him or vacate it. Promoter Eddie Hearn echoed Smith'
s sentiments, daring Azim to face Smith in the ring.
The victory solidifies Smith's status as one of the rising stars in the super lightweight division and sets the stage for what could be a thrilling showdown with Azim in the near future.