Exclusive: Dalton Smith Targets World Title, Adam Azim Fight 'No Longer Necessary'

Dalton Smith and Adam Azim are no longer locked on a collision course, with the new European champion now targeting a challenge for a recognised world title rather than an all-British match-up against his fellow super-lightweight.

Smith, who vocally called-out Azim following last year’s victory over Jose Zepeda in his home city of Sheffield, claimed the vacant EBU belt by beating former champion Walid Ouizza at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena on Saturday night.

Azim, a member of Ben Shalom’s Boxxer stable, had relinquished the belt rather than face his compatriot and now bids to claim the lesser regarded IBO prize in London next month.

Although Shalom recently insisted the pair are still destined to meet - “and probably within the next 11 months” - Smith’s camp now view an immediate bout against the Slough based fighter as a retrograde step given that their client entered the ring last weekend ranked number two by the WBC having already secured the British and Commonwealth crowns.

Speaking exclusively to SportsBoom.com, Frank Smith, Matchroom Boxing’s chief executive officer, said: “It’s all about timing. That fight (with Azim), when it was ordered, was the perfect time in reality."

“Dalton has gone above and beyond now. He’s on the path towards the really big fights and ready to step into them."

“He doesn’t - and I mean this with all due respect to Adam, who is a really good fighter himself - need to step back."

“He (Smith) has surpassed that now.”

“Maybe in two years it (Smith versus Azim) will happen,” Smith continued. “Maybe it never happens."

“If Dalton wins the world title and Adam doesn’t and then moves up, who knows? If it doesn’t, then who cares?”

Aged 27 and 22 respectively, a contest between Smith and Azim would be bound to capture the public’s attention and be lucrative for both the promoters and the protagonists themselves. 

But from Matchroom’s perspective, the WBC’s decision to name their man among the leading challengers to Alberto Puello has thrown a welcome spanner into the works. 

LUCRATIVE OPTIONS

Rather than chasing Azim, who faces the dangerous but ageing Kazah Sergey Lipinets on February 1st, Smith now has much more lucrative options on his radar.

“We’ve never structured or planned Dalton’s career around anyone else but him,” Smith said. 

“We’ve never factored anyone else but Dalton into our thinking."

“I’m not saying Adam’s people made the right decision or the wrong decision at the time. But what I am is that you can’t call out or map things the way they do."

“We are never going to hold Dalton to others. If the opportunity presents itself (to face Azim) then great. If it doesn’t then it doesn’t.”

Smith has made no secret of his desire to snatch one of the division’s major belts before Christmas, after returning to action following a long injury lay-off.

“That’s the plan, a world title fight,” Smith added. 

“When he came off the back of that huge win over Zepeda, he has been unfortunate. I see him getting mandated."

"With all the moving parts, I can see him challenging for a world title this year.”