Subriel Matias vs. Dalton Smith Keys to Victory: Breaking down tactics of each fighter

Subriel Matias and Dalton Smith had an intense final faceoff following Friday’s weigh-in.

That intensity should turn into fireworks Saturday night when Matias aims to defend his WBC super lightweight world championship against Smith at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, and live on PPV.com.

Matias (23-2, 22 KOs) earned the WBC title by producing a majority decision over Alberto Puello in July. That was in Queens, New York, and Matias will have another contingent of Puerto Rican fans supporting him in Brooklyn on Saturday night. Smith (18-0, 13 KOs) has traveling British supporters who hope to see him enjoy his first world championship. Smith’s last time in the ring resulted in a unanimous decision over Mathieu Germain in April.

With the stakes high, DAZN News analyzes the Keys to Victory for both the champion and challenger.

Subriel Matias’ Keys to Victory

Get off to a quick start

Subriel Matias often takes time to rev up his motor. However, against Dalton Smith, a hungry challenger who badly wants to be crowned champion, Matias must make it a conscious effort to get going quicker, as he cannot afford a slow start.

That means an early peppering of body shots and punches upstairs to get some quick footing.

Be relentless with pressure and volume

If Matias can close the space between him and Smith early, the Puerto Rican fighter must be relentless with his pressure and punch volume.

His best bet to make Smith uncomfortable is to force phone booth action and drive his output way up with smothering shots.

Unleash bursts from the body up

Although Matias must make it a point to stay in Smith’s face, he would also be aided in picking his spots and working from deposits to the body upstairs to laser rights and clubbing hooks.

Matias is going to generate the pressure. It is what he does. However, his ability to unleash bursts of punches that score him points could spell the difference between whether he walks out of Brooklyn with his title intact or not.

Dalton Smith’s Keys to Victory

Pepper Matias with the jab from the back foot

Watch Dalton Smith in action, and the British fighter does an excellent job of peppering opponents with the jab off the back foot, moving laterally around the ring fluidly.

He must do the same against an aggressive Subriel Matias, who is going to look to set the tone and dictate the fighting pace of this bout.

Do not neglect the body

As Matias gets closer to Smith, the Sheffield man must give the champion receipts.

He can do this by blasting Matias’ body, putting the champion on notice of the dangers of his suffocating style.

These body shots might go a long way to slowing Matias’ relentless pace and even lower his punch count.

Lure Matias in, unload sharp, timed counters

Potent on the front foot and skilled off the back foot, Smith can opt to lure a forward-fighting Matias in. Then, amidst Matias’ bursts of offense, Smith should look to unload sharp, timed counterpunches.

He catches Matias with enough of these counters in traffic, and boxing could have a new WBC super lightweight world champion.