Dalton Smith produced a highlight reel knockout of Sam Maxwell at the Utilita Arena, Sheffield, in front of healthy home support to successfully defend his British and add the Commonwealth super-lightweight title to his growing resume.
The event was promoted by Matchroom Sport and broadcast globally on DAZN.
A quiet and tentative opening round which saw both Smith and Maxwell stalk and bide their time for their openings, saw Smith come out on top in the first round with an attack against the ropes, which saw Maxwell almost fall over the top left following one-two combination and followed in the final twenty seconds by a 1-2 variety for Smith.
The second round saw Smith land an overhand right and uppercut in the opening fifty seconds of the round, with Maxwell already seeming to be on unsteady legs so early in the contest. With 80 seconds remaining, Smith again battered Maxwell into the ropes with several hooks, which again saw Maxwell almost go over the top rope for the second consecutive round.
Round three saw Maxwell attempting to slow the legs of Smith with some stinging jabs to the body of the hometown favourite. Smith was calculated for most of the round and economical but did land a well-timed left hook halfway through the rounds as he seemed happy to manoeuvre around Maxwell, who was struggling to land anything of note.
The final twenty seconds of the third saw both fighters engage in combinations as they both threw their shots and landed simultaneously.
A left hook-right hand from Smith in the final minute of the fourth saw Maxwell’s head snap back in the centre ring before round five, which saw a clash of heads causing a cut to Smith on his right eye inside the opening minute of the fifth.
Maxwell tried to capitalise on the discomfort of the cut; however, Smith was able to counter Maxwell’s intentions with footwork before returning to the corner to seek Jamie Sheldon’s assistance in stemming the flow of blood from the right eye.
Smith came out for the sixth with urgency and landed a combination of long and wide hooks on Maxwell, causing the Liverpudlian to fall in and clinch onto Smith to regain his balance. Smith replayed the same routine of the long right hand and sent Maxwell into the ropes before Smith closed the distance with a flurry of shots against the ropes, of which Maxwell managed to survive.
Dalton, in the seventh, would ultimately claim victory with a devastating knockout of Maxwell from a long right hook following a flicking jab which landed flush onto the chin of Maxwell.
Maxwell was unresponsive as the referee counted but ultimately was waved off, which, thankfully, Maxwell started to move in an attempt to rise to his feet. The official time of stoppage was called at 1:34 in round seven.
The first response inside the ring attended Sam as he was helped to his feet, and his condition improved.
