Dalton Smith defeated Subriel Mathias to become world champion in New York

“Don’t take anything away from Subriel – he’s a great champion.

“I didn’t really stick to the tactics tonight. I played him his way. You can’t hurt me and I knew I was going to get to him.”

Smith joins heavyweight Fabio Wardley, welterweight Lewis Croker, Jazza Dickens at super featherweight and Nick Ball at featherweight to become the UK’s fifth current men’s world champion.

Ticket sales were reportedly modest, but there was no shortage of noise from traveling fans as Smith walked to the ring for “When the Sun Goes Down” by the Arctic Monkeys, who are from his hometown of Sheffield.

However, it looked like a home battle for Matías, with New York’s powerful Puerto Rican population firmly in favor of the 33-year-old.

He looked so relaxed that he even stopped to take selfies with family members during his circle walk.

In his first title defense, which he won against Alberto Puello in July, Matias was sluggish at times and Smith took advantage of that by landing sharp, clear punches to the head and body in the opening round.

Mathias scored the second goal, forcing Smith to retreat while blood was flowing from the British player’s nose.

After an up-and-down third, Smith, remarkably and unexpectedly, chose to trade the champion.

With 22 knockouts in his 23 wins, Matthias entered with a reputation for constant pressure and heavy hands. However, Smith also had stopping power, recording 13 knockouts of his own.

He landed several heavy left hooks to close out the fourth round. Then came the defining moment in his career that truly announced Smith on the world stage.

After stumbling briefly from Mathias’ combination, Smith came unfazed again in a gunfight in the fifth round.

He landed two left-right combinations that sent Matthias’ head back, before landing a decisive right.

There was a brief protest from Mathias at the referee’s decision, while Grant Smith, Smith’s coach and father, rushed to the ring in celebration.