23:14:14
Show’s over
There could be no better way to close tonight’s blog than with the picture below. Nobody has ever stopped Jose Zepeda like that. An unforgettable night for Dalton Smith – but there are more to come. Thanks for tuning in.
23:12:36
Eat that
Picture By Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
23:11:20
It was all a dream
Dalton Smith said: “Listen, a lot of people thought this was too soon for me. This was the only fight where I’ve had a dream about getting knocked out. But that only made me train harder.
“It’s also my nan’s birthday so I couldn’t go home empty handed. Happy birthday nan.
“The reaction will speak for itself. I do my talking in the ring and I did that tonight.”
23:08:01
Statement made
The official time of the stoppage is 1:25 of round five as Dalton Smith posts a statement win here in Sheffield against the three-time world title challenger Jose Zepeda. Smith is now 16-0 (12) but that was by far the most significant and best of the lot. Take a bow.
23:05:22
IT’S ALL OVER
Dalton Smith stops Jose Zepeda in the fifth round with a savage right uppercut to the belly! Unbelievable performance and finish from Smith.
23:01:55
Hit for four
The fourth is a good one for Smith, who lands with a looping left hook and a hard right hand while giving nothing away himself. The home favourite has really found his groove here but Zepeda is always dangerous.
22:59:05
Three down
Dalton Smith has never mixed with anyone of Zepeda’s calibre and he is already having to show more discipline than he ever has. He gets through with another backhand that appears to snap Zepeda’s head back momentarily.
22:55:36
Dalton lands
With the second round following a similar pattern to the first, Dalton Smith lands with a stiff one-two that would have boosted his confidence hugely. Zepeda carrying a threat but Smith starting to come out of his shell.
22:50:51
First round down
A very tentative first round from Smith, who spends most of the round circling around the outside of the ring while Zepeda tries to land with jabs and crosses from his southpaw stance. A few got through to the body before the Mexican finishes the round with a flurry. A Zepeda round in the books.
22:44:44
The fight starts now!
Or so says David Diamanté. The main event fighters are now in the ring as the MC goes through the introductions. The acid test of Dalton Smith’s career is upon us.
22:29:34
Ryan speaks
“I just believe in myself. I’ve done this all my life and it’s time for me to get my rewards. Thank you to Terri for being my dance partner tonight because she knew deep down we had hard spars and she knows that.
“After round three I just started to put the pressure on and when I could see her fading there was no way I was going to take my foot off the gas.”
22:23:14
IT’S ALL OVER
The fight is stopped at the end of the third round after yet more pressure from Ryan. Harper’s trainer Stefy Bull informs referee Marcus McDonnell that his boxer won’t be coming out for the next round.
22:19:46
Harper hanging on!
Sandy Ryan absolutely piling on the pressure at the end of the third and Terri Harper is forced to cling on. Not exactly saved by the bell but she was glad to hear it then.
22:17:11
Two down
Harper lands a couple of right hands which seem to find the target well. But Ryan is also landing well to the body. This one is really bubbling up nicely.
22:13:18
Ryan v Harper
Terri Harper bids to become a three-weight world champion against WBO welterweight champion Sandy Ryan. This could be a close one.
21:57:41
What a win
Sensational breakout win for Ishmael Davis, who had spells in prison and became a dad to twins at the age of 14, secures a unanimous decision against experienced former British champion Troy Williamson in his first 12 rounder. He will have won a lot of fans tonight.
21:56:19
We got to the scorecards… Davis UD
117-111, 116-112 x 2
21:51:42
Into the final round
Davis must surely have a healthy lead on the cards as we go into the last round. Can Williamson pull something out of the bag against the odds?
21:47:10
‘We need these two rounds’
Ice is pressed against the swollen face of Williamson as they break between rounds 10 and 11. Davis, across the ring, has not even sat down once. He comes out for the penultimate round and immediately lands a hard southpaw jab. He is surely just two rounds away from becoming mandatory challenger for the British title.
21:42:14
Piling on the pressure
Davis piles on the pressure with an onslaught midway through the ninth, but by the end of the round it is him sucking in air. Even so, that was a good three-minute spell for the 28-year-old Black Panther.
Williamson read the riot act in the corner as we head into the 10th.
21:39:29
Four to go
Williamson surely needs a knockout as we enter the final third of the fight and Davis is not showing too many signs of slowing down here. However, it is worth noting he has never been this deep into a fight in his career.
21:30:34
Halfway point
We are now six down and you could make an argument that Davis is 6-0 up. Williamson is starting to bleed from the mouth and there is swelling developing beneath the eye. Even so, he is still in there swinging and rounds four and five were his best so far. Can we see a turning tide?
21:22:26
Ishmael delivering
This is an excellent performance from Davis through four rounds. He is equally adept from both stances and is landing with his back hand at will. Williamson starting to look like he has run out of ideas already.
21:19:20
Catch and counter
Picture By Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
21:14:28
Good round for Davis
Davis punishes some lazy Williamson jabs by slipping outside and firing back with big right hands. Williamson’s distance is off and Davis is making him miss and pay. This could be a long night for the 32-year-old Trojan.
21:10:37
One down 11 to go
Even round with both men feeling their way into the fight. Davis spends time in both stances while Williamson attempts to press the action behind a ramrod jab.
21:05:02
Davis and Williamson in the ring
Right we are straight back into business as undefeated Ishmael Davis faces Troy Williamson in a final eliminator for the British light-middleweight title. This fight very nearly didn’t happen when Williamson weighed four pounds over but they came to an agreement so here we go.
20:50:00
Flint celebrates
All three judges confirm a richly deserved unanimous decision for Jimmy Joe Flint, who boxed beautifully from both stances to secure a win.
He said: “I say well done to Campbell there’s no doubt he will come again. He’s a young kid and a great fighter.
“Experience won me the fight tonight. My little girl at home, Annie, you’re too young to know but that was for you.”
Hatton said: “I think early on I was sticking to the plan and was picking up a lot of the early rounds but no arguments he came on strong in the second half of the fight and showed his experience. I do think he did enough but no arguments from me.
“I’d love to do that again.”
20:49:20
Flint UD!
Parker 98-92
Loughlin 97-94
Latham 97-95
20:46:41
Unbelievable
We go to the scorecards after a scarcely believable 10th and final round where Hatton somehow managed to stay on his feet despite getting an absolute peppering from Flint at times. A fantastic fight all round, but has Hatton done enough to win his first professional title? Let’s see.
20:43:02
Interaction
Thanks to @JKSmith_269 on Twitter who says: “Hatton fights a lot like his dad, great chin, good body work but he’s missing the power and defense Ricky had.”
20:38:20
Hatton in trouble
Relentless pressure from Flint has Hatton in the most trouble of his professional career. The youngster looks hurt to head and body at stages during the round but he manages to stay on his feet despite Flint piling on the pressure. Two huge rounds to come.
20:36:11
Gotta love an area title fight
20:34:28
Flint cut
Flint lands with a big right hand that appears to stun Hatton moments before the bell but as the champion sits down between rounds the blood pours from a cut near his left eye which occurred after a clash of heads. How significant might that be?
20:30:15
That’s entertainment
Non-stop back-and-forth action in an entertaining sixth round where both men found a home for right hands. Hatton, in particular, crashed one home with less than 15 seconds left in the round. Really good fight, with four to go.
20:27:14
Campbell coming
Hatton’s jab working well in the fifth and he even manages to press Flint back against the ropes and start adjusting his feet to fire off with left hooks to the body. A better round for the challenger, who might be starting to feel the pace.
20:23:24
Four down
“Using that brain a little bit more now,” says Hatton’s uncle Matthew in the corner. the challenger is holding his own but Flint is still the one landing the more eye-catching shots. We go into the fifth.
20:19:34
Flint success
Flint spends most of the third in southpaw and lands with a couple of short-range uppercuts and a big left hook against Hatton on his way in. Very even fight so far but Flint just starting to find his range and his trainer Jason Cunningham is happy.
20:10:24
One down
Good first round for Hatton, who lands with a number of big shots against the champion Flint but he is not overawed and has some success of his own. This one is heating up nicely.
20:07:11
And we’re off
Hatton and Flint, who had some heated exchanges at the press conference and weigh-in, go into round one now.
20:00:27
Flint v Hatton next
Brief interlude in proceedings here as we await Campbell Hatton’s challenge for Jimmy Joe Flint’s Central Area light-welterweight title. It would be the first title of Hatton’s career but Flint is game and knows he could secure a major scalp tonight.
19:49:08
It’s all over!
Leivars lands a pinpoint counter left hook to the body as Mirga attempts to fire with a right hook upstairs. Down Mirga goes and he is unable to beat the count. Leivars averts crisis and wins by stoppage after 1:32 of the ninth – a superb win.
19:42:28
All action
This is developing into a mini classic as Leivars forces Mirga back into his corner and begins to unload with his opponent against the ropes. But back fires Mirga, landing a series of left hooks on that damaged eye. This is anyone’s fight as we break before the eighth.
19:38:54
Told you it was bad…
19:32:17
Bloody hell
They did a good job on the cut in the break but within 30 seconds it’s pouring with blood again. Leivars is staying disciplined behind single and double jabs now but Mirga is starting to come forward with more vigour. Both men having success, we are five down.
19:28:44
Leivars cut!
Blood is pouring out of the right side of Leivars’ face from what is adjudged to have been a left hook from Mirga in the third round. This has just got very, very interesting. That’s an awful cut and it has certainly slowed Leivars down a touch and Mirga is growing in confidence.
19:22:21
Leiv it out mate
Mirga takes some hellacious right hands from Leivars in round two but hardly budges and is still in there firing back. This has been a very entertaining fight through two of the scheduled 10.
19:18:32
Leivars and Mirga are off
That’s one round down in this final eliminator for the English super-bantamweight title. It was pretty much one-way traffic for unbeaten Leivars, who is looking to go 6-0-1 tonight. Very positive start from the Mansfield 24-year-old.
19:10:52
Before the Bell
While Nico Leivars and Piotr Mirga make their ring walks I’ve got time to bring you up to date with what happened on the untelevised portion of the card.
Undefeated middleweight Connan Murray beat Edgar Kemsky on points over six, while Emmanuel Buttigieg did the same at light-middleweight against Bartlomiej Stryczek.
There was one stoppage, as light-heavyweight Liam Cameron dropped Hussein Itaba twice and stopped him inside just one round. The official time of the stoppage was 2:32 of R1.
19:07:53
Here we go
Good evening friends and welcome to the Boxing News live blog for tonight’s big show in Sheffield topped by Dalton Smith’s clash with Jose Zepeda.
I am Declan Taylor and I will be keeping you up to date with all the thrills, spills and anything in between from the Steel City’s Utilita Arena.
Remember, if you haven’t already, you can download the Boxing News app and get involved by making your predictions and scoring the fights.
Sheffield’s Dalton Smith takes on Jose Zepeda for the vacant WBC Silver super-lightweight title at the Utilita Arena, Sheffield. The main card is live on DAZN from 7pm in the UK, 2pm ET and noon PT. Preliminary bouts start from 5:15pm UK, 12:15pm ET and 10:15am PT.
The preliminary bouts are free to air on the DAZN YouTube channel.
Smith vs Zepeda Weights and Running Order
BEFORE THE BELL (Starts at 5:15pm UK, 12:15pm ET & 10:15am PT)
6 x 3 mins Middleweight contest
CONNAN MURRAY (158 lbs) v EDGAR KEMSKY (156.6 lbs)
6 x 3 mins International Super-Welterweight contest
LELI BUTTIGIEG (157.2 lbs) v BARTLOMIEJ STRYCZEK (156 lbs)
6 x 3 mins International Light-Heavyweight contest
LIAM CAMERON (174.8 lbs) v HUSSEIN ITABA (173.3 lbs)
LIVE ON DAZN (Starts at 7pm UK, 2pm ET and Noon PT)
10 x 3 mins English Super-Bantamweight Title Final Eliminator
NICO LEIVARS (121.3 lbs) v PIOTR MIRGA (121.1 lbs)
10 x 3 mins Central Area Super-Lightweight Title
JAMES FLINT (139 lbs) v CAMPBELL HATTON (139.7 lbs)
12 x 3 mins British Super-Welterweight Title Final Eliminator
ISHMAEL DAVIS (153.8 lbs) v TROY WILLIAMSON (158.2 lbs)
10 x 2 mins WBO Welterweight World Title
SANDY RYAN (146.2 lbs) v TERRI HARPER (145.9 lbs)
12 x 3 mins vacant WBC Silver Super-Lightweight Title
DALTON SMITH (139.6 lbs) v JOSE ZEPEDA (139.6 lbs)
