Subriel Matias and Dalton Smith are scheduled to enter a ring in New York for a WBC belt that carries a lot of questions following the recent news about drug testing. We have seen these situations before where commissions talk about specific thresholds to keep a fight on the calendar. Matias took a majority decision over Alberto Puello last summer to get that strap which ended a long run of stoppage victories. It suggests a fighter who might be reaching a certain physical limit or just finding that the great names in this division do not break as easily as the regional talent he used to face. Smith is entering his first twelve round fight after a few domestic wins and nobody knows if his lungs can handle a man who thrives on late pressure.
The VADA finding has cast a shadow that no amount of commission statements can really clear up for the fans. Smith has to stay moving to avoid the kind of inside battle that Matias prefers because his undefeated record has not been tested by anyone with a real mean streak yet.
The silence of the testing results
Matias will likely try to cut the ring off and work the body to see if the challenger has the stomach for a long night of physical attrition. He needs to keep the exchanges short and heavy to prevent Smith from finding a comfortable rhythm with his straight punches. If the champion cannot force Smith toward the ropes then he might find himself chasing a ghost for the duration of the evening. Smith has a respectable amateur background but the professional game is different when you have to exit after scoring without getting caught by a heavy counter.
Measuring the jump in class
The undercard features Alfredo Santiago against Hendri Cedeno and a return for Emmanuel Rodriguez who is looking to rebuild his career at bantamweight against Fernando Diaz. There are plenty of other names like Nestor Bravo and Jeyvier Cintron who are just trying to stay in the rotation for future dates. The championship rounds often reveal the true nature of a prospect when he is forced to handle the sustained pressure of a veteran who knows how to suffer. Smith has never been past the tenth round and that lack of experience usually becomes a significant problem when the pace starts to pick up in the final minutes.
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Last Updated on 01/05/2026
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2026-01-05 14:53:18