There wasn’t an avalanche of boxing this weekend.
No packed schedule.
No overwhelming number of fight cards to keep up with.
But there were two fights I absolutely didn’t want to miss.
And watching them, you understand even more clearly why Arslanbek Makhmudov and Mathieu Germain came up short against Agit Kabayel and Dalton Smith.
They have nothing to be ashamed of.
Not for a second.
One rebuilt himself after his defeat.
The other went 12 rounds against a future world champion.
Photo: Tapology – Dalton Smith
Those fights provide context.
And that context makes this weekend even more meaningful.
Matías vs. Smith.
Kabayel vs. Knyba.
Two targeted matchups.
Two specific appointments.
And in the end, two performances that more than justified the attention.
Photo: Boxing News – Agit Kabayel
Dalton Smith: winning on enemy territory, and restoring order
In New York, at the Barclays Center, Dalton Smith did far more than pull off an upset.
He set the record straight.
Against Subriel Matías, a feared and respected puncher, Smith was not the public’s favorite. But context matters: this fight was not a roll of the dice. It was inevitable.
Matías captured the WBC belt last July in Queens, earning a razor-thin majority decision over Dominican fighter Alberto Puello. The bout was so closely contested that the Puello camp immediately appealed the decision, demanding an immediate rematch. The WBC refused—but did not dismiss the case outright.
The solution?
Two consecutive mandatory fights.
No exceptions.
Matías had to face Dalton Smith, the mandatory challenger at the time.
And Puello would then face the winner.
In other words, Smith was waiting his turn.
He was patient.
And he was ready.
Photo: Ready to Fight – Subriel Matias vs Dalton Smith
From the opening rounds, Smith looked confident and disciplined, but also determined not to let this fight slip through his fingers. He never appeared intimidated by his opponent’s status or reputation. On the contrary, he set the pace, found his openings, and punched with purpose.
When the end came, in the fifth round, there was no doubt.
Knockout.
WBC world title at 140 pounds.
And above all: no ambiguity.
The atmosphere? Purely British.
Thousands of English supporters had crossed the Atlantic, turning Brooklyn into an extension of Sheffield. Comparisons to Ricky Hatton quickly followed—inevitable, but heavy.
Dalton Smith doesn’t need to be the next Hatton.
He needs to be the best version of Dalton Smith.
And what he showed in New York points exactly in that direction.
A small Quebec nod along the way: those who remember his fight against Mathieu Germain now know just how much more respect that performance by Germain deserves in hindsight.
For Smith, the options are many. The doors are wide open.
But more than anything, the status has changed.
He is no longer a contender.
He is a champion… who took care of business the right way.
Photo: Sheffield Star – Dalton Smith vs Mathieu Germain
Agit Kabayel: the art of breaking without rushing
Meanwhile, clearly in Germany, in Oberhausen, Agit Kabayel continued his work.
No unnecessary fireworks.
No improvised chaos.
Just a method.
Coldly executed.
Against Poland’s Damian Knyba, still undefeated, Kabayel did what he does best:
he wore him down,
he applied pressure,
he dismantled him.
Relentless body work.
A suffocating pace.
Surgical precision.
Kabayel doesn’t look for the knockout.
He builds it.
Photo: Fight Freaks Unite – Agit Kabayel vs Damian Knyba
After Zhang, after Makhmudov, after Frank Sánchez, it is now Knyba who has given way. And every time, with the same recipe. Fight after fight, Kabayel proves that he may not have the size of the new heavyweight behemoths… but he possesses something far rarer: a plan, and the ability to impose it.
Another important element:
the German crowd is there.
A sold-out arena.
A loud crowd.
Total buy-in.
Agit Kabayel is no longer a well-kept secret.
He has become an attraction.
And now? Merit versus reality
From a sporting standpoint, Kabayel deserves a shot at Oleksandr Usyk.
But professional boxing does not always reward merit right away.
People talk about Wilder.
They talk about big money.
They talk about spectacle.
Meanwhile, Kabayel remains the option no one at the top asks for—but everyone quietly respects.
Martin Bakole.
A physical monster, feared behind the scenes. A fight as dangerous as it is revealing.
Photo: Boxing News 24/7 – Martin Bakole vs Jared Anderson
Fabio Wardley
Explosive, popular, unpredictable. Chaos versus control. A very marketable fight in Europe.
Daniel Dubois
Raw power, but vulnerabilities under pressure. Kabayel’s body work could make the difference.
Filip Hrgović
Technical, solid, experienced. One of the most complete tests possible. A win here would make Kabayel impossible to ignore.
Lawrence Okolie
Still adapting at heavyweight. Imposing size, but a style that recalls certain aspects of Knyba.
Moses Itauma
A rising phenomenon. Raw talent, speed, youth. A fascinating matchup, but risky for both camps: Kabayel against youthful fire, Itauma against a level of pressure and maturity he has never faced before.
Photo: BBC – Moses Itauma vs Dillian Whyte
Conclusion
This weekend, boxing reminded me why I love it.
Because it isn’t just about power.
Because it still rewards those who think, who adapt, and who dare.
Dalton Smith conquered New York by trusting the process—and crushing it along the way.
Agit Kabayel continues to bring down giants, one round at a time.
Two performances.
Two statements.
One clear message:
Ignoring these men is becoming increasingly difficult.
