Back in December 2007, British fight fans crossed the Atlantic in their massive numbers as the beloved "Hitman" Ricky Hatton attempted to dethrone one of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters of all time in Las Vegas. Ultimately, the Manchester hero was unsuccessful in his quest to conquer the undefeated American, but Hatton nonetheless gave a spirited, fiercely competitive effort before he was ultimately stopped by Mayweather, the defending WBC welterweight champion, in the tenth round of a memorable contest.
Nearly two decades later, American star Shakur Stevenson would undoubtedly be keen to orchestrate a very similar result on away soil if he ends up sharing the ring with Dalton Smith, who successfully retained his WBC super-lightweight world title against mandatory challenger Alberto Puello on Saturday night.
The Sheffield man became a world champion earlier this year in stunning fashion, traveling away from home to dethrone the fearsome Subriel Matias with a breathtaking fifth-round finish that established him as a premier force in the division. However, things proved to be slightly more complicated in his first title defense at the weekend, as Smith was forced to dig deep and edge out a rather contentious split decision against the highly awkward and dangerous Puello.
Then, shortly after securing the hard-fought victory, the 29-year-old Sheffield native immediately turned his attention to the future, calling for a massive unification match against Stevenson at Hillsborough Stadium, the iconic home of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club.
Reflecting on his demanding night against Puello and looking ahead to potential mega-fights, Smith addressed the crowd and the media with bold ambitions. He acknowledged that the bout was not necessarily a crowd-pleasing war, pointing out that Puello proved to be an exceptionally difficult style to solve, but emphasizing that a true world champion must do whatever is necessary to win. He noted that he is testing himself against the very best fighters in the world and proving why he currently holds the number one spot in his own mind.
Crucially, Smith also extended an olive branch of immense respect toward his potential American adversary, while explicitly invoking the ghosts of British boxing history. He stated that he has a tremendous amount of respect for Shakur Stevenson, describing him as one hell of a fighter, before explicitly comparing the magnitude and cultural resonance of a potential matchup to the unforgettable era of Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather, suggesting that the two promotional camps could build something truly special for British and international fans alike.
The landscape for such a fight has also grown increasingly favorable in recent weeks. Having recently parted ways with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing, WBO champion Stevenson is now operating as a promotional free agent on the open market, meaning he is entirely unhindered by exclusive promotional contracts and could easily be enticed by the prospect of crossing the Atlantic to headline a massive stadium spectacle against Smith. If the numbers and the stage align, the boxing world could soon witness another massive British invasion, with Stevenson stepping into the lion’s den much like Mayweather did all those years ago in Las Vegas.
