Smith Wants Hillsborough for Next Defense, Eyes Stevenson

Dalton Smith has picked Hillsborough, the home of Sheffield Wednesday, as the place he wants to defend his WBC junior welterweight title next. Promoter Eddie Hearn believes Shakur Stevenson would be happy to make the trip to face him there.

Smith, The Ring's No. 1 junior welterweight, outpointed mandatory challenger Alberto Puello by split decision in his first defense of the belt he won in January. The 29-year-old filled Sheffield's Utilita Arena for the homecoming and then looked at a far bigger venue.

"I want Hillsborough," Smith said at his post-fight press conference. "I want a big fight at Hillsborough. That big carrot has been dangled all the way through this fight, but I needed to block out that noise because I had a tough fight in front of me. Now the conversations can go on."

A stadium plan already moving

Smith has supported Sheffield Wednesday his whole life. Earlier this month he faced off with Puello on the pitch in front of 30,000 people. Hearn said the club's owners sat ringside for the Puello fight, and it has been reported that Wednesday has already contacted Sheffield City Council about the license needed to stage a first world title fight at the 35,000-seat ground.

The club took a 12-point deduction last year for entering administration. A U.S. consortium bought it in the summer, which ended a long period of financial difficulty, and the new owners want Smith to help lead the next chapter with a major title defense.

"I want Hillsborough, I want Arctic Monkeys, I want a proper Sheffield night," Smith said.

Stevenson as the dream opponent

Smith is one of three sanctioning body champions at 140 pounds. The vacant IBF belt will be decided when Arthur Biyarslanov meets Lindolfo Delgado in Saudi Arabia on October 31, on the card headlined by Canelo Alvarez and Christian Mbilli, so unification options are plentiful.

Smith and Hearn would like to bring in Stevenson, the Ring and WBO champion, who became a free agent after leaving Zuffa Boxing. They hope the four-division champion would welcome a UK debut.

"Right now you have to say Dalton Smith is No. 1 and arguably the best in the division this year based on performances, but Shakur is a phenomenal talent and you have to give him the nod in terms of his lifetime achievements," Hearn said. "For me they are No. 1 and No. 2 in the division so that's a natural fight."

Asked whether Stevenson would really travel to Smith's backyard, Hearn replied: "I don't think he knows a lot about Sheffield. But what I do know is that Shakur Stevenson will fight anybody and Shakur Stevenson believes he can beat anybody at 135, 140 or 147 pounds. He will want to win the belts. [...] He will be well up for fighting Dalton Smith and to do it in front of 30,000 in the UK. He loves that kind of stuff."

Source: The Ring