BoxRec

Round-by-Round starts here




SUBRIEL MATIAS-DALTON SMITH WBC 140-POUND TITLE FIGHT ADDED TO RING IV NOV. 22 CARD

Subriel Matias will defend his WBC junior welterweight title against mandatory challenger Dalton Smith on The Ring IV card Nov. 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Puerto Rican Matias (23-2, 22 KOs) had just won the green and gold 140-pound belt from Alberto Puello (24-1, 10 KOs) via majority decision before HE Turki Alalshikh announced in the ring he would face Sheffield, England's Smith (18-0, 13 KOs) in four months' time.

The winner of Matias-Smith will fight Puello, The Ring's Mike Coppinger revealed on the broadcast.

Dominican Puello looked to have done enough to earn a decision win over Matias on The Ring III bill in Queens, New York City at Louis Armstrong Stadium.

The aggressive, come-forward work from Matias, however, was enough to win over the judges, who scored the bout 114-114, 115-113, 115-113 in his favour.

And now he'll fight Smith, the WBC No. 1 contender in what should be an all-action match-up on a card headlined by David Benavidez and Anthony Yarde.

Smith has fought twice this year, knocking out Walid Ouizza in a single round in January before dominating Mathieu Germain across 12 in April.

"You will fight [Smith] on the November card for the world title," Alalshikh told Matias in the ring following his victory over Puello, to which the 33-year-old replied: "You want an exciting fighter? I'm here."

Elsewhere on the Nov. 22 card, The Ring's fourth event, Brian Norman Jr will defend his WBO welterweight title against Devin Haney, Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez takes on Fernando Martinez in a 115-pound unification bout and Abdullah Mason clashes with Sam Noakes for the vacant WBO lightweight strap.

Damn!

What a great card this is gonna be.

So many good fights.

Well, Benavidez-Yarde is a legalized slaughter.

goose 5 wrote: ↑12 Jul 2025, 23:42 Well, Benavidez-Yarde is a legalized slaughter.

It is? How have you reached this conclusion?

Matchroom finalizing Callum Smith-David Morrell, Subriel Matias-Dalton Smith with Turki Alalshikh/PBC

It seems two big fights are in the works for later this year.

The first is a light heavyweight dust up between Callum Smith and David Morrell. Smith, the WBO interim title holder, was ordered earlier this month to defend his title against Morrell. Morrell is coming off of a split decision victory over Imam Khataev on July 12, while Smith has not fought since his 12-round thriller with Joshua Buatsi back in February.

Smith was in talks to face WBC 175lb champion David Benavidez, who also defeated Morrell in February, but his countryman Anthony Yarde pipped him to the fight that will land on November 22 in Saudi Arabia.

The second fight is a junior welterweight title fight between WBC champion Subriel Matias and mandatory challenger Dalton Smith. Smith has been waiting patiently for his shot as the WBC No.1 ranked challenger for some time, and was ringside for the recent title fight between then-champion Alberto Puello and Matias. Matias got the nod in a close fight that night and Smith was invited into the ring afterwards with Riyadh Season/The Ring boss Turki Alalshikh declaring the two would fight next.

Callum and Dalton Smith’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, revealed to reporters on Monday that negotiations for both bouts are now well underway.

“Yeah we've been talking to PBC [about Smith-Morrell],” Hearn said. “As we are about Subriel Matias-Dalton Smith – finalizing that as well. Callum Smith's up for the David Morrell fight. Obviously he'd prefer it to be for a world title rather than his interim, but it's a great fight. We're negotiating that fight now with PBC and [Turki Alalshikh], and hope to wrap up Callum Smith-David Morrell and a final confirmation of Subriel Matias against Dalton Smith very soon.”

good fight, matias is a hard ass

Not sure who he should have fought,but i know Dalton hasnt been in with anyone to be prepared for this.

We're taking a lot on trust with Dalton winning this.

Not saying he can't do it by any means - he's clearly a talented boy - but he's only proved himself very good at a level or two (or three) below this.
Lookng forward to it...!

Acid test for Smith. A bit like Kelly's Avenasian.

Paro toughed it out and beat Matias on his own patch, so not unthinkable that Smith can beat him

Dalton Smith: Everyone Says Matias Is This Bogeyman, But Paro Exposed Him A Little Bit

Keen to find out who his long awaited word title shot would come against, Sheffield’s Dalton Smith recently took a busman’s holiday to New York to watch Subriel Matias eke out a hard fought majority decision over Alberto Puello to win the WBC junior welterweight title.

Smith’s scouting mission rapidly turned into a business trip.

Matias (23-2, 22 KOs) barely had time to pose for celebratory photographs with his newly won title before finding himself face to face with his next challenger.

Keen to capitalise on the moment, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh quickly announced that Smith would get his mandatory shot at the WBC title on the upcoming ‘Ring IV’ card which takes place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on November 22nd. The event will be streamed globally by DAZN.

Smith (18-0, 13 KOs) is aware that he faces a tough task but during an interview with Boxing Now, the 28-year-old revealed that he is looking forward to exposing the holes he noticed in Matias' game before the Puerto Rican lost his title to Australia’s Liam Paro last June.

“Whoever won that fight, I'd have been happy for,” Smith said.

“Obviously fighting for a world title, they're not going to be muppets, That’s the elite of the elite.

“Now I've got my chance to prove to everyone I'm at that level. But, you know, it's funny. Everyone says he's this bogeyman, this and that. When he fought Paro, I said, don't be surprised if Paro beats Matias.

“Everybody wrote him off and obviously he beat him. People thought I was mad when I said it.

“I just found weaknesses in his style and obviously Paro exposed him a little bit.”

For a time, Matias’ relentless, hard hitting style and menacing approach made facing him one of the most difficult assignments in world boxing but as intimidating as his glossy record and spectacular highlight reel look on screen, some things need to be experienced live to truly appreciate them.

Having seen Matias in action, Smith left New York with a clearer appreciation of his strengths and weaknesses and a real belief that he has what it takes to beat him.

“Of course he can punch, he's a big puncher, but it’s not the one-punch knockout,” he said.

“For him, it's the accumulation. People just stand in front of him and try and have a fight. Obviously we see weaknesses, and that's why we do the 10-week training camps, to make sure we get it right. We're well conditioned, but we go in there and execute it.”

I haven't been completely convinced about smith at world level, mainly because of lack of punch power.
However he is a beautiful boxer, and this fight should tell us exactly where he is, I'm looking forward to it

Dalton has looked a million dollars in some of his wins, but this step up is quite a departure from the level he's competed at previously.

We've seen some of our boxers bridge the gap and more than a few found wanting.

I hope Smith does himself proud.

ya it's a really good fight, matias has had fights where you see ways that smith can beat him. on the other hand, matias would surely beat up some of the versions of smith that have turned up

matias defo has the experience edge though, it will be interesting to see how dalton is doing in a tough fight later on if a guy like matias is still coming at him hard. some of dalton's fights he kinda just coasted or looked half committed as the rounds went on

Mathias is tried and tested at world level, Smith not so much.

Dalton Smith ‘very confident’ he can stop Subriel Matias

Dalton Smith believes he can stop Subriel Matias.

Dalton Smith is preparing for his first world title fight, which is expected to come later this year against WBC super lightweight titleholder Subriel Matias.

Matias (23-2, 22 KO) is rightly seen as one of boxing’s most dangerous punchers, pound-for-pound, and the 33-year-old Puerto Rican has won three straight since an upset loss to Liam Paro in 2024 cost him the IBF belt.

In his last fight, Matias beat Alberto Puello by majority decision to win the WBC title, and the 28-year-old Smith (18-0, 13 KO) stands as his mandatory challenger and next opponent. The two had a respectful face-off in the ring after Matias’ win over Puello.

Smith will probably be the underdog to many if not most boxing fans, because the Sheffield native hasn’t really fought at true world level yet, but he is a talented fighter and a real rising contender, and he believes he can even be the first to stop Matias.

“I think it’ll be a fight where I physically and mentally have got to be switched on,” Smith said in an interview with Sky Sports. “He’s experienced, he’s strong, but I think after the six-round mark, once I’ve sussed him out — sussed his pace, slowed him down, because I do believe I can slow him down, his pace — I’ll be very confident in getting him out in the second half of the fight. My prediction is me on points or a late stoppage.”

All of this is easier said than done, and Smith seems smart enough to know that. You can see he’s not shouting and boasting about how he’s going to knock Matias out, he just sees the way it can happen, knowing the tactics will have to be spot-on.

Matias vs Smith has not been officially announced yet, but for now is expected to land on the big Benavidez vs Yarde card on November 22 in Riyadh.

One roadblock could be Alberto Puello looking to force a rematch with Matias before Smith gets a shot:



Puello (24-1, 10 KO) did make a mandatory defense against Sandor Martin on March 1. Trainer Ismael Salas told Boxing News that Puello had a rematch clause, and is aiming to enforce it, as the fighter himself makes pretty clear in that social media post.

WBC SAYS SUBRIEL MATIAS-DALTON SMITH WINNER MUST FIGHT ALBERTO PUELLO

Alberto Puello was a gentleman about it.

He didn’t stomp his feet or remonstrate with Subriel Matias after losing his WBC super lightweight title on July 12 on Ring III in Flushing, New York. Instead, he clapped for his opponent and nodded his head.

But quietly, he was taking action.

Once the decision was made official, Puello (24-1, 10 KOs) reached out to WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman. Puello hoped that he would grant him an immediate rematch. His demands, however, weren’t instantly placated, but Sulaiman did offer a solution.

“The WBC has addressed the issue,” Sulaiman told The Ring. “We have a ruling that Matias against Dalton Smith is a mandatory fight to take place. The winner must fight Puello.”

For Smith, waiting wasn’t an option. So officially, the WBC’s No. 1 contender will face Matias on Ring IV on November 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

In a day and age where activity isn’t always afforded to fighters, Smith (18-0, 13 KOs) has managed to remain under the bright lights. His bout against Matias (23-2, 22 KOs) is his third in 2025 and he’s hoping to win his first world title.

Matias, though, isn’t interested in having a quick championship reign. Much like Smith, the 33-year-old Puerto Rican fought his way back after losing his IBF 140-pound title to Liam Paro in June 2024.

Sulaiman is interested in seeing how Matias vs. Smith plays out. Few fighters manage to go the full distance with either.

“It’s going to be a very tough, good fight.”

Smith can do it, Matias is hittable and slower.

This is a f*cking ace card. The three Brits are really under the cosh, but best chance is definitely with our boy Dalton

How good is he? I don’t know, but he’ll need some chin on him, with this punching machine he’s up against.

Buzzing for this card, and it's in Saudi not US so will be decent time for UK. You know it's a good card when Beterbiev is the one listed last on Boxrec! Looks winnable for Smith, really hope he wins, he's been guided well and it would be a good reward for all the work his father has put in too.

Apparently this fight won’t happen on this card.

WBC have set purse bids.

I’ve read that Matias couldn’t agree to terms with Turki.

I mean who doesn’t?

Unless it was that lowball that Turki doesn’t fancy it.

Anyway.. Matchroom should win the purse bid and put the fight on in Sheffield.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑30 Aug 2025, 06:28 Apparently this fight won’t happen on this card.

WBC have set purse bids.

I’ve read that Matias couldn’t agree to terms with Turki.

I mean who doesn’t?

Unless it was that lowball that Turki doesn’t fancy it.

Anyway.. Matchroom should win the purse bid and put the fight on in Sheffield.

I doubt they'll offer more than Turki. Smith hasn't sold very well in Sheffield.

mickey1975 wrote: ↑30 Aug 2025, 07:16

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑30 Aug 2025, 06:28 Apparently this fight won’t happen on this card.

WBC have set purse bids.

I’ve read that Matias couldn’t agree to terms with Turki.

I mean who doesn’t?

Unless it was that lowball that Turki doesn’t fancy it.

Anyway.. Matchroom should win the purse bid and put the fight on in Sheffield.

I doubt they'll offer more than Turki. Smith hasn't sold very well in Sheffield.

This is what I was thinking.

Matchroom won’t overbid and will probably be the only bidder. What’s Matias gonna do? Vacate?

Sure whatever Turki offered was a career-high purse? Surely Matias fancies his chances at beating Smith as well and surely he’d rather the fight happen in Riyadh rather than UK.

Is Matias good? Confessing my ignorance here I do not think I have watched him before.