Steel City champ Dalton Smith focuses only on beating American rival at Sheffield Arena

One day football and fight fans may get to see boxer Dalton Smith compete for a world title on the pitch of his beloved Sheffield Wednesday FC.

For now, the Owls' fan has to settle for competing in a ring inside the city's biggest indoor platform, the Sheffield Arena. On Saturday (March 23) Smith and American opponent Jose Zepeda headline at the east end venue.

It is a show that the South Yorkshireman hopes will improve his standing in the sport, pushing him closer to a global belt and maybe, ultimately, a date further down the line at Hillsborough.

Not that the 27-year-old is currently pondering what might happen after his appointment with Zepeda.

Some observers have already mentioned a future showdown with Slough's European champion Adam Azim - but unbeaten Dalton (15 wins) is not entertaining that thought either, right now.

Instead, Handworth's British super lightweight belt holder concentrates solely on taking down 34-year-old southpaw Zepeda (W 37 Lost 4.).

He wants to win and win well - catching the eye of the worldwide boxing scene.

"A win and a good display will help put me towards the position I need to be in, in the governing body's top 10. I know this is a fight I have to win" he says.

While the stakes are high, winning has been in his blood since his prizewinning amateur days (93 fights) and when he turned professional in May 2019.

"I don't know any different, boxing is what I have done from being young, and when it is like that you tend not to live a normal life. "We work hard to succeed, everything we do is to better ourselves and find what works."

Matchroom promotes the Steel City gym fighter and aims to raise his profile with a win over the American, who is his most dangerous opponent so far.

Smith says he has a variety of tools at his disposal to get the job done.

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"I can mix it up" the former Outwood Academy pupil states.

"I have shown I can fight and I can sit in the pocket and I can box.

"If you've got a game plan and it is not working after a few rounds you have to change the pace of the fight.

"I am a mid-range counter puncher but I can change things depending on the tactics of the fight or how the fight is going.

"I know there will be some big fights to come, but I'll think about that after Saturday."