Dalton Smith shares his prediction for Tefimo Lopez vs Shakur Stevenson

Dalton Smith shares his pick for Lopez-Stevenson and says he'll be sat ringside to call out the winner

Britain's newest world champion Dalton Smith is targeting a unification opportunity against the winner of Shakur Stevenson vs Teofimo Lopez, who clash in New York on January 31.

Sheffield's Smith says he is ready for a unification fight with either Shakur Stevenson or Teofimo Lopez after he claimed the WBC super-lightweight title last weekend in Brooklyn.

Smith became Britain's latest boxing world champion after knocking out WBC super-lightweight ruler Subriel Matias in the fifth round.

That extended his unbeaten record as a pro to 19-0 when a series of right hands dropped Puerto Rico's big-punching Matias.

Now, all attention is starting to turn to who Smith will face next and whether a unification fight is now on the cards with the winner of the fight between Lopez, who defends his WBO super-lightweight title, and Stevenson in New York on the last day of January.

The unbeaten Stevenson will be bidding to become a four-weight world champion when he steps up from lightweight to challenge Brooklyn's Lopez, who is making the fourth defence of his WBO belt.

28-year-old Smith says he will most likely be back in The Big Apple to watch that All-American battle and will have a keen eye on the two fighters he has in his sights.

"I will probably be over there watching it. It is a great fight and obviously I have my eyes on that as a potential opponent for those guys next. It is going to be good and it is going to be a great fight," Smith told Sky Sports.

"I am favouring Shakur [Stevenson] on points," he predicted.

Would Smith prefer a particular opponent out of the two? He says, just as he did against Matias, he will take on whoever in order to achieve his next goal.

"Either," he answered. "I always said I want to be a world champion, a WBC world champion and I will fight whoever to do that.

"I did that and it will be the same process for the future ahead. You fight whoever you have got to fight.

"We will take each fight at a time, but we'll see how far we get. I believe in myself that I would be a world champion, I have done that.

"Let's see what more we can achieve."

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Adam Azim vs Gustavo Lemos

With the likes of WBC mandatory Alberto Puello or the winner of Teofimo Lopes vs Shakur Stevenson being lined up next, a domestic showdown with British rival Adam Azim seems unlikely for the first half od 2016 at least.

However, both British boxers are envisioning a future matchup when they each have world titles to bring to the table. Azim fights on the same night as Teo and Shak, up against IBF #9 Gustavo Lemos in London on BBC2.

Azim confidently plans to do a job on the dangerous Argentine to force a fight with IBF champ Richardson Hitchins next. His plans on capturing the IBF belt will lead to a future unification with longterm rival, Smith, he recently revealed.

Dalton previewed the Azim-Lemos showdown, "I know Gustavo [Lemos], he's my sparring partner from the last fight - not the world title, the one before," Smith explained.

"I had him over for a couple of weeks. He is a good guy and obviously I am there supporting Adam as well. I don't want Adam to have a downfall. It will be a good fight.

"I think he is good enough to go on to win a world title but time will tell and I want him to go on and achieve those things because it's better for us.

"Once someone gets themselves in that position for that fight, then it makes sense. But as of now, you know, I believe I deserve those bigger fights."

Azim relinquished the European super‑lightweight title in April 2024, which quashed a mandatory defence against Smith, with plans to come together later down the line in their careers when there was more at stake than just the blue belt only.

"It's great news for me. The fight's getting bigger. If I win a world title, we'll have a massive unification in Britain," Azim had previously stated on Smith's emphatic world title win.

"A bit like Carl Frampton vs Scott Quigg. We've had Amir Khan vs Kell Brook; Conor Benn vs Chris Eubank Jr. You've got Nigel Benn and then you've got Chris Eubank Sr. This is the next one.

"He's probably aiming it at me, but look, I'm still young.

"He's 28, I'm still 23. I've got plenty of time in my career. He's done that at 28. Imagine me doing that earlier in my career. I've still got years in front of me.

"I think when we end up fighting each other, you're going to see the spark that both of us have."