Dalton Smith Not Overlooking Mathieu Germain Ahead of Title Shot

Dalton Smith is knocking on the doorstep of a title shot as he's risen the ranks to become the No. 1 contender to undefeated WBC junior welterweight champion Alberto Puello.
First, though, the undefeated rising contender out of Sheffield, England has to send the home crowd happy when he faces Mathieu Germain on Saturday at Canon Medical Arena. While Smith (17-0, 13 KOs) knows that greener pastures potentially lie ahead, including a potential bout vs. Puello (24-0, 10 KOs) he's viewing his bout with Germain (26-2-1, 11 KOs) as his first chance at gold before he potentially fights for a world title.
Ready to go big on Saturday before his shot at the WBC World Super Lightweight Title 💥 @daltonsmith08#SmithGermain | @DAZNBoxing pic.twitter.com/o4gOIjFgMb
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) April 15, 2025
“This is my World Title fight," Smith said via press release. "That’s why I’ve put a lot into my camp. I’ve flown sparring partners from the other side of the world over for this. I know what can come after this fight. If Mathieu Germain thinks I’m overlooking him or thinking too far ahead then he’s wrong. He’s my World Title fight."
Smith has positioned himself to fight for a title shot with three straight stoppage victories, including a fifth-round knockout of former title challenger Jose Zepeda and a first-round stoppage of Walid Ouizza on Jan. 25 in his last outing. Smith's win over Zepeda stands as his most notable victory to date, and he earned it in devastating fashion with a straight right hand to the body.
BODY SHOT SINKS ZEPEDA 🤯
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) March 23, 2024
It's all over in round 5! @daltonsmith08 is the new WBC Silver Super Lightweight Champion 🔰 @DAZNBoxing pic.twitter.com/34us77eQh7
Smith is ranked No. 1 by the WBC, No. 10 by the IBF and No. 11 by the WBO, while Germain is ranked No. 14 by the IBF. Germain has won eight straight fights, including the last two by stoppage. Germain's bout vs. Smith is the first outside his home country of Canada.
MORE: Devin Haney Following Floyd Mayweather In Major Career Shift
“The guy in front of me right now is Mathieu and there’s no room for hiccups for me," Smith said. "I know going into this fight that I need a World Title performance. That’s why we’re back in my hometown, I’m looking to put on a big performance to put me in good stead going into those big fights."
The Latest Boxing News
Date & Location For Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois 2 Reportedly Being Finalized
Lamont Roach Sr Sends Clear Message About Reported Gervonta Davis Rematch Date
Hall of Famer Says Jaron Ennis As Good As Gervonta Davis And Shakur Stevenson Combined
Edgar Berlanga Reveals Why Canelo Alvarez Will Give Him A Rematch
Nathaniel Marrero is a writer for the Boxing, Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Ravens On SI sites. He's also written for the Orlando Sentinel and MLB.com, and was a part of UCF's sports show, Hitting The Field. He attended UCF and graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism in 2023. Twitter/X: Nate_Marrero
Follow Nate_Marrero