#1-ranked WBC Dalton Smith and Mathieu Germain both weighed in successfully today at the weigh-in for their 12-round headliner this Saturday, April 19th, with event start time at 2 pm ET / 11 am PT / 7 pm BST [British standard time], live on DAZN at the Park Community Arena, Sheffield, England.
The winner of the Smith vs. Germain fight will be next up for WBC light welterweight champion Alberto Puello. Smith, 28, was made mandatory for Puello’s WBC belt last February. Promoter Eddie Hearn wants Dalton to get his shot against Puello in the autumn.
Weigh-in Results
– Dalton Smith: 139.5
– Mathieu Germain: 139.2
Smith (17-0, 12 KOs) will defend his WBC silver light welterweight title against #14 IBF Germain (26-2-1, 11 KOs). Promoter Eddie Hearn has gotten Dalton into the #1 position in the WBC’s rankings without him fighting any of the killers in the 140-lb division.
That’s the weird part. The best name on Smith’s six-year resume is 35-year-old Jose Zepeda, who had lost two out of his previous three fights when he fought him last year in March.
What the WBC should have done was order a 140-lb title eliminator between Dalton Smith and Gary Antuanne Russell, rather than elevating Dalton into that position without him having to risk his hide. Russell’d have weeded him out, and we’d have had a quality guy at the doorsteps to challenge Puello for his WBC strap. That’s what should have happened.
“It’s a big fight for me. Like I said. I’m reaching the pinnacle of boxing. It’s a big fight for me tomorrow. I’ve prepared well and I’m excited,” said Dalton Smith to DAZN after weighing in for his fight against Mathieu Germain this Saturday night in Sheffield.
Germain’s Chances?
How does Smith say this fight is the “Pinnacle of boxing” when Germain is a fringe contender, who has already been beaten twice by Yves Ulysse Jr and Uriel Perez?
“I just said he’s in trouble,” said Smith when asked what he told Germain during their face-off today. “He thinks I’ve overlooked this fight and am looking beyond. Believe me, I’m not. I’ve put everything into this camp and invested a lot into this camp.”
Germain probably is “in trouble” on Saturday night going up against Dalton, but that’s not saying much. This guy has been well-picked, and it’s arguably not worth even being on a preliminary card for a DAZN event. Hearn should have chosen a better opponent for Dalton to headline against, rather than Germain.
Better Options for Dalton
– Sandor Martin: #1 ranked
– Isaac Cruz: #3
– Jack Catterall: #4
– Liam Paro: #6
– Jermaine Ortiz
– Elvis Rodriguez
“I can see that he’s not confident. It’s nervous energy. I hope he brings that energy tomorrow. He knows he can’t outbox me, and he knows he can’t out-fight me,” said Dalton when asked what he expects from Mathieu on Saturday. “He don’t punch as hard as me and is not as fast.
“The only thing he can do is try come rushing in. There’s not much you can do. So, after a couple of rounds after I find my rhythm, he’ll know he’s in a hard fight. I appreciate them all coming out, and tomorrow night it’s going to be even louder. A big performance from me and a big win,” said Smith on what his prediction is for tomorrow night in Sheffield.
Last Updated on 04/18/2025
