Unbeaten super lightweight Dalton Smith is ready for the biggest fight of his career to date against former three-time world title challenger jose Zepeda who he’ll face on home ground at the Sheffield Arena on March 23.
Smith is the British and Commonwealth champion and one of the skilled young fighters in the U.K. The 27-year-old boxer-puncher captured the acclaimed Lonsdale championship by defeating Sam O’maison in August 2022 and has made three successful defences to claim the belt outright.
A big performance [against Zepeda] and my name is there with the big names,” smith told the ring, “The 140-pound division is stacked, there’s a lot of talent, there’s a lot of good kids in there. You can’t be pussyfooting around taking easy fights.
“If I want to be a world champion and be the best, I’ve got to go through these guys and prove to people I am one of the top guys in the division.”
Zepeda (37-4, 28 KOs) is a southpaw and a very powerful puncher. The 34-year-old Californian failed in previous world title attempts against Terry Flanagan, Jose Ramirez and Regis Prograis. However, Zepeda is determined to fulfill his dreams and he isn’t in the U.K. to make up the numbers.
“This is going to be a helluva fight,” Zepeda told Matchroom Boxing. “One thing we know, we have to win big. I have to win this fight. I’m still here because I want new opportunities. I want my fourth chance.
I saw his record. I know he’s 15-0. I know he’s a big star in the U.K. He’s energetic inside that ring. He likes to move and he’s kind of fast. I know he likes to come forward, so that’s going to make it a great fight.”
Here’s When and Where To Watch Dalton Smith vs. Jose Zepeda?
Smith vs. Zepeda is on March 23. The main card starts at 7 p.m. local time, or 3 p.m. ET. Smith and Zepeda should make their way to the ring around 10:30 p.m. local time or 6:30 p.m. ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
| Region | Date | Main Card Start Time | Main Event Ring Walks (approx.) |
| USA and Canada | Saturday, March 23 | 3 p.m. ET | 6:30 p.m. ET |
| USA and Canada | Saturday, March 23 | 12 p.m. PT | 3:30 p.m. PT |
| UK and Ireland | Saturday, March 23 | 7 p.m. GMT | 10:30 p.m. GMT |
| Australia | Sunday, March 24 | 6 a.m. AEDT | 9:30 a.m. AEDT |
- Venue: Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, England
How to watch Dalton Smith vs. Jose Zepeda
| Region | TV channel | Live streaming |
| USA | DAZAN | |
| Canada | DAZAN | |
| UK and Ireland | DAZN 1 HD | DAZAN |
| Australia | DAZAN |
Dalton Smith vs. Jose Zepeda fight card
The undercard for Dalton Smith vs. Jose Zepeda, which happened earlier today on March 23rd, 2024, featured a variety of intriguing matchups. Here’s a breakdown of the fights:
- Dalton Smith vs. Jose Zepeda; Super Lightweights
- Sandy Ryan (c) vs. Terri Harper for the WBO welterweight title
- Ishmael Davis vs. Troy Williamson; Super Welterweights
- James Flint vs. Campbell Hatton; Super Lightweights
- Giorgio Visioli vs. Sergio Odabai; Lightweights
- Emmanuel Buttigieg vs. Bartlomiej Stryczek; Super Welterweights
- Connan Murray vs. TBA; Middleweights
- Nico Leivars vs. Piotr Mirga; Super Bantamweights
Preview of Dalton Smith vs. Jose Zepeda
Dalton Smith vs. Jose Zepeda, which took place earlier today on March 23rd, 2024, was expected to be a thrilling fight between two contrasting styles. Here’s a breakdown of what boxing experts anticipated:
Rising Star vs. Veteran:
- Dalton Smith: The undefeated young gun (15-0 record, 11 KOs) known for his power and sharp jab. He fights under the tutelage of respected trainer Grant Smith. Smith has the hometown advantage in Sheffield.
- Jose Zepeda: The seasoned campaigner (37-4 record, 27 KOs) with a wealth of experience against top-level competition. Though he’s coming off two losses, they were against elite fighters like Regis Prograis and Richardson Hitchins.
Clash of Styles:
- Smith: Expected to be aggressive, utilizing his jab and looking for opportunities to unleash his power punches.
- Zepeda: Predicted to be more calculated, using his experience to control the distance and counterpunch effectively.
Intriguing Factors:
- Both fighters possess impressive knockout ratios, but also have shown good chins, leading some to believe a stoppage might be unlikely.
- Smith’s inexperience against a fighter of Zepeda’s caliber was considered a big question mark.
Expert Predictions:
- Due to the fight already happening, predictions won’t be as relevant. However, pre-fight analysis suggested a close contest with a slight edge towards Zepeda’s experience.
