Subriel Matias and Dalton Smith are scheduled to enter a ring in New York for a WBC belt that carries many questions following the recent drug testing news. We’ve seen these situations before where commissions talk about specific thresholds to keep a fight on the calendar. Matias took a majority decision over Alberto Puello last summer to get that belt that ended a long winning streak. This indicates a fighter who may be reaching a certain physical limit or just finds that the big names in this division don’t break as easily as the regional talent he has faced before. Smith enters his first twelve round fight after a pair of domestic victories and nobody knows if his lungs can handle a man who thrives on late pressure.
The VADA finding cast a shadow that no amount of commission statements can really clear up for the fans. Smith needs to stay on the move to avoid the kind of infighting Matias prefers because his undefeated record has yet to be tested by anyone with a real mean streak.
The silence of the test results
Matias will likely try to cut off the ring and work the body to see if the challenger has the stomach for a long night of physical wear and tear. He needs to keep the exchange short and heavy to prevent Smith from finding a comfortable rhythm with his straight punches. If the champion can’t force Smith to the ropes, he may be chasing a ghost for the duration of the evening. Smith has a respectable amateur background, but the professional game is different when you have to leave after scoring without getting caught by a heavy counter.
Measure the jump in class
The undercard features Alfredo Santiago against Hendri Cedeno and a return for Emmanuel Rodriguez looking to rebuild his bantamweight career against Fernando Diaz. There are plenty of other names like Nestor Bravo and Jeyvier Cintron just trying to stay in the rotation for future dates. The championship rounds often reveal the true nature of a prospect when he is forced to deal with the sustained pressure of a veteran who knows how to suffer. Smith has never been past the tenth round and that lack of experience usually becomes a real problem when the pace starts to pick up in the final minutes.
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Last updated on 01/05/2026
