BRITAIN may only need 10 days of 2026 to crown its first world champion of the year.
As things stand, only Nick Ball (WBA featherweight) and Lewis Crocker (IBF welterweight) currently hold world titles on the men’s side. Meanwhile, on the women’s side, Lauren Price, Chantelle Cameron, Caroline Dubois, Terri Harper, and Ellie Scotney hold nine championships between them.
Sheffield’s Dalton Smith, 18-0 (13 KOs), looks to have finally secured a date for his long-awaited title tilt against WBC super-lightweight powerhouse Subriel Matias, 23-2 (22 KOs). Initially, it appeared the two would square off on the David Benavidez–Anthony Yarde card on November 22 in Riyadh. After Matias’s win against Alberto Puello on July 12, Turki Alalshikh brought the champion and mandatory challenger Smith together for a face-off in the ring at Louis Armstrong Stadium. November 29 had also been floated as a possible date, but Smith revealed to Boxing News on Saturday night that his 2026 could start with a bang.
“Hopefully we’ve got the contracts done [by] Monday next week [at the] latest. January the 10th, New York Barclays Center – that’s where I’ll be crowned WBC world champion.”
There are currently no shows scheduled for that date at the Brooklyn venue, which has staged many Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) events in the past. Matias’s promoters, Fresh Productions, won the rights to stage the fight after their $1,900,000 purse bid beat Smith’s promoter, Matchroom Boxing, who offered $1,710,000.
Smith’s impressive fifth-round KO win against Jose Zepeda in 2023 enhanced his reputation on the world scene. This year, ‘Thunder’ followed that up with a first-round blowout of the overmatched Walid Ouizza and a 12-round points victory over the stubborn Mathieu Germain, who hit the canvas three times.
Two of those victories came in Smith’s home city of Sheffield, and speaking at the Sheffield Arena on Saturday, the 28-year-old said he is keen to defend the world title there should he be successful in January.
“I want to come back here, defend, and have some massive nights in this arena.”
