Eddie Hearn hints Sheffield could still host Dalton Smith bout
Is there the faintest glimmer of hope that Dalton Smith takes on his world title challenge on home turf in Sheffield?
According to The Ring, Smith’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, was “very disappointed” after learning that the WBC super-lightweight title fight against Puerto Rico’s Subriel Matias had been pushed back to January 10, 2026.
The bout had initially been expected to take place this month in Puerto Rico, after Matias’ team at Fresh Productions won the September purse bid with a $1.9 million offer.
That bid had outstripped Matchroom’s $1.71 million submission, but Hearn told The Ring that the delay goes beyond the timeframe permitted under WBC regulations - and that, had the January date been known at the time, the fight could have been staged in Sheffield instead.
“I was very disappointed because it was well outside the timeframe given within the purse bid,” Hearn told the magazine website.
“That fight had to take place by the first week in December - if it was allowed to go into January, we would’ve bid more money. Your budget starts again from the beginning of the year - we could’ve done it in Sheffield in January.”
The revised date would mean Smith (18-0, 13 KOs) goes more than eight months without a fight before stepping up to face Matias (23-2, 22 KOs), a two-time world champion who reclaimed the WBC belt with a majority decision over Alberto Puello in July.
While The Ring notes that the WBC has discretion to approve the new January slot, Hearn hinted that Matchroom is ready to step in if the Puerto Rican promoters fail to meet their financial obligations or logistical targets.
“Watch this space,” Hearn said. “If the money isn’t lodged, Matchroom will do the fight. Dalton will fight for the WBC title in January... if there’s no deal with Matias in terms of the number, I don’t see how they can financially make the event possible.”
That slim caveat - a missed payment, a stalled venue deal, or a rescheduling - could be all that’s needed for Sheffield to get its wish.
In theory.
Hearn has made no secret of his desire to bring a world title event to Smith’s home city, having previously staged sell-out nights at the Utilita Arena.
Smith last fought there in April, outpointing Canada’s Mathieu Germain just three months after blasting out Walid Ouizza in one round to claim the vacant European title.
With the Matias showdown now seemingly delayed until early 2026, Sheffield fans can only hope that circumstances somehow conspire to bring the world title fight back to South Yorkshire.
For now, the official line is that Matias-Smith will headline at Brooklyn’s Barclays Centre on January 10 - but as Hearn reminded The Ring, in boxing, “it’s a funny old game.”