Dalton Smith continued to build his reputation by bullying Walid Ouizza to defeat inside a round and therefore win the vacant European junior-welterweight title.
The 27 year old, regarded as one of the British fight scene’s most promising fighters, eased to victory via a performance that demonstrated a complete lack of respect for Ouizza of France.
From close to the opening bell at the Nottingham Arena in Nottingham, England he marched forwards with little thought and even less concern about the price he might pay for doing so. He hurt his 33-year-old opponent with one of the first punches he threw, and when he realised his size and strength – admirable by the standards of the finest junior welterweights in the world – was too much for Ouizza he ruthlessly sought the stoppage.
A succession of left and right hands, followed by another right hand, put Ouizza down for the first time towards the conclusion of the opening round. When Ouizza returned to his feet he then reached and threw a powerful left hook which dropped Ouizza again, this time sufficiently heavily his corner threw in the towel and the referee Jon Llona Fernandez intervened, despite the timing of the stoppage coming at three minutes.
Smith’s leading rival, Adam Azim, fights Sergey Lipinets a week later. Smith has also been linked with a future date with Jack Catterall, Britain’s leading fighter at 140lbs, who fights Arnold Barboza Jnr in February.
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