Owls fan Dalton Smith eyes Hillsborough fight
Sheffield Wednesday may be languishing at the wrong end of the table - but they are guaranteed the support of a man who is firmly at the top of his own game.
Owls' fan Dalton Smith won boxing’s prestigious WBC Super Lightweight title earlier this month in America, adding a world crown to a career that has been built with Sheffield backing him all the way.
After securing the belt, Smith’s thoughts quickly switched back to Hillsborough, where he has spoken of his desire to defend his WBC title in the coming months.
The 28-year-old, from Handsworth, paraded his belt on the pitch before Wednesday’s 0-1 defeat to Portsmouth on Saturday, receiving a warm reception from supporters despite another difficult afternoon for the side.
While the result was a blow for Smith and the home fans, it has not dampened the boxer’s lifelong connection with Sheffield Wednesday.
“I want to fight at Hillsborough,” he told The Star. “I owe it to the fans.
“They have shown their support for me and we haven’t got much to celebrate on the pitch at the moment.
“There were 200-300 people supporting me in New York. I felt honoured and grateful - they came straight after Christmas.
“Now I’d like as many as possible at Sheffield Wednesday.
“I feel it is my duty to give something back to the club and bring a good night of boxing to Hillsborough.”
Hillsborough has staged major sporting events over many decades, but it has not been used as a venue for a modern-era world title boxing contest, and Smith believes such an event would be a landmark moment for both the stadium and the city.
Alongside his stadium ambition, Smith has also spoken of his desire to test himself at the very highest level of the division.
He would like to face the winner of the WBO title contest between Teofimo Lopez and Shakur Stevenson, which is scheduled to take place on January 31.
Any such fight would likely happen later in the year, potentially during the summer, depending on promotional and sanctioning arrangements.
Meanwhile, the WBC has nominated Smith for an award in the category of knockout of the year.
His stoppage of Walid Ouizza has placed him in the 2025 awards race alongside fighters including Oleksandr Usyk and Jesse Rodriguez.