Dalton Smith took a moment to hear his weight read aloud before he modestly flexed for his adoring fans on hand.
The unbeaten junior welterweight came in right at the 140-pound divisional limit for a shot at the European title. Sheffield’s Smith (16-0, 12 KOs) will take on France’s Walid Ouizza (19-2, 8 KOs), who weighed 139 ¼ pounds during Friday’s official pre-fight weigh-in.
Their scheduled twelve-round contest will take place this Saturday at Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, England. DAZN will headline the first leg of a Matchroom Boxing bi-continental doubleheader beginning at 7:00 p.m. local time and 2:00 p.m. ET.
Smith has not fought since a March 23 knockout win over former title challenger Jose Zepeda. The 27-year-old boxer dubbed by his team as ‘The Belt Collector’ now aims for the last one on the regional level before he makes a run for a major title.
“It’s a big fight for me,” Smith told DAZN/Matchroom Boxing’s Jamie Ward. “I’ve wanted that title I wanted for a long time just as every belt I’ve collected so far.
“Every fight is big, I’m gonna win and put that belt on display.”
Smith was due to return to the ring last September at home in Sheffield. Those plans were scratched when he suffered an injury which left him shelved for the rest of the year.
Saturday’s show also features Ellie Scotney (9-0, 0 KOs) in her first defense as The Ring junior featherweight champion.
Catford’s Scotney also risks her IBF and WBO belts against undefeated challenger Mea Motu (20-0, 8 KOs) of Auckland, New Zealand. Both fighters were under the 122-pound limit for the lone world championship fight of the night.
Scotney weighed 121.7 pounds for her fourth overall major title fight. She won the IBF 122-pound belt in a June 2023 unanimous decision over Cherneka Johnson, now a WBA bantamweight titlist.
Motu weighed 120.1 pounds for her first title challenge and just her second career fight outside of Ocenaia.
DAZN main undercard bouts
Harry Scarff (13-3, 3 KOs), Derby, England, 146.2 pounds vs. Conah Walker (14-3-1, 5 KOs), Wolverhampton, England, 146.4 pounds—12 rounds, welterweight
Ibraheem Sulaimaan (6-0, 4 KOs), Birmingham, England, 132.3 pounds vs. Reuquen Cona Facundo Arce (18-17-2, 7 KOs), Buenos Aires, Argentina, 131 pounds—8 rounds, junior lightweight
DAZN ‘Before The Bell’ preliminary bouts
Hamza Uddin (3-0, 1 KO), Walsall, England, 113.2 pounds vs. Misael Ezequiel Graffioli (5-3, KOs), Santa Fe, Argentina, 113.6 pounds—8 rounds, flyweight
Traie Duberry (4-0, 2 KOs), Aston, England, 198.2 pounds vs. Camilo Castagno (4-8, 1 KO), San Luis, Argentina, 193 pounds—6 rounds, cruiserweight
Jake Donovan is part of the U.S. team for The Ring. Follow Jake on X and Instagram.