New world champion Sheffield boxer Dalton Smith surpasses Kell Brook in Eddie Hearn’s eyes

The Matchroom promoter was ringside as Dore's Kell Brook defeated Shawn Porter to win the IBF welterweight title in August 2014 in Carson, USA.

Now Handsworth's Dalton Smith is WBC super lightweight champion after stopping the holder, Subriel Matias in New York, last Saturday.

A bubbly Hearn was beyond delighted to have witnessed it.

“You talk about Darren Barker against Daniel Geale, Kell Brook against Shawn Porter, honestly, that beats everything – that’s the greatest away win I’ve ever witnessed,” said Hearn.

“Dalton is a hero. You have to box with Matias; you saw that from Liam Paro, but Matias was red hot, and he didn’t allow Dalton to box.

“So Dalton decided to fight Matias at his own game, which is the worst idea you can have – he’s never been hurt, he’s never been down – and he battered him, put him down, in New York to become the latest British world champion.

“The kid is a hero, and there’s a new superstar in the sport of boxing, and his name is Dalton Smith."

Hearn added: "He boxed lovely in the first round and then all of a sudden he’s getting hurt, he’s cut, but he stayed trading with him.

"They were both getting tired, but Dalton hit him to the body about a minute before the stoppage and really hurt him, and then the right hands landed, and that’s all she wrote – that is what dreams are made of.

“We knew Dalton was a star, but to do that on the world stage in New York and in that style.

"People were talking about this fight and that fight, Adam Azim and the like, Dalton Smith has gone out and accepted the boogeyman, met him head on in New York and stopped Subriel Matias to become the world champion – put some respect on his name.”

Smith found it difficult to frame his moment of glory.

“There are no words,” he said.

“A lifelong dream, hard work and sacrifice, it’s all for this moment. My Dad, my grandad, and all my family - we’ve all worked for this, and I always believed.

"It’s a message to anyone that if you believe in yourself, you can go out and achieve your dreams."

The Steel City fighter admitted: "I gave my dad a bit of a heart attack in there as that wasn’t the game plan, but I took all his best shots and thought ‘you can’t hurt me.’

“He was slowing down so I thought ‘persevere, persevere, and I’ll get you.’

“We had plan A, B and C, and at world level you have to do it all.

“It’s not going to sink in for a long time but we always knew this would happen. We had everything against us for this fight—the build-up, the testing and so on. But I knew that this was my moment and my opportunity, and that you could throw anything at me.

“ I’ve got the best team around me, the best promoter in the world, and it’s a win for us all."

COMPARISON BETWEEN BROOK/SMITH WINS

*Experience - Smith faced Matias unbeaten with fewer than 20 fights, while Brook challenged Porter unbeaten after more than 30 bouts.

*Opponent calibre - Matias was regarded as one of the most dangerous champions at super lightweight, while Porter was an unbeaten IBF welterweight champion with proven world-level wins.

*Setting - Both were away victories in the States, with Smith winning in New York and Brook in California.

*Fight approach - Smith allowed himself to be drawn into a physical battle at close range, while Brook produced a disciplined, tactical performance over 12 rounds.

*Outcome - Smith stopped Matias to win the WBC super lightweight title, while Brook won a points decision to claim the IBF welterweight belt.

*Career impact - Smith secured his first world title and announced himself on the world stage; similarly, Brook’s win established him as a leading welterweight.Reputation - Brook’s victory became a benchmark British away win, with Smith’s now being measured against it.