Dalton Smith grew up playing football but when he clocked five, his father, Grant Smith helped him kickstart his boxing career by taking him to a boxing gym to train. Known to be very athletic, Smith rose rapidly through the ranks under the guidance of his father, who happens to be his trainer and coach.
The 28-year-old Sheffield-born fighter was a successful amateur before he turned pro in 2019. He won national titles in high school and also at senior level. He also won the European Youth Champion in 2014, the Commonwealth Youth bronze medalist in 2015, and the ABA champion in 2018. He also fought in several countries including Bulgaria, Ukraine, Croatia, Samoa, and Turkey.
Who is Dalton Smith?
Dalton Smith was born and bred in Sheffield as the youngest of the three children of Grant Smith and his ex-wife. Dalton’s parents divorced when he was very small so his father singlehandedly raised him and his two sisters, Chelsea and Gervan.
His two sisters both boxed and got to the finals of the ABAs before they retired. Although his father has been his coach, Dalton once revealed his grandfather was the one who steered him toward boxing. This is because his grandfather was a huge boxing fan. The older Smith was also the one who used to take Dalton to the gym while his father was busy with two sisters.
He had a successful amateur career
With his mind fixed on becoming a world champion, Dalton Smith grew up idolizing the likes of Joe Calzaghe, Fernando Vargas, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Ricky Hatton.
Right from the time he was 13, the Sheffield-born fighter boxed for England, and later on, he became part of Team GB for five years. Since he was a schoolboy to when he became a senior, he won several titles. He was the European Youth champion in 2014, the Commonwealth Youth bronze medalist in 2015, and the ABA champion in 2018. He also had dreams of going to the Rio Olympics in 2016 but the changes in the weight classes made him turned professional.
In addition to the titles he won, he also fought in several countries like Bulgaria, Ukraine, Croatia, Samoa, and Turkey, and at the age of 18, he shared the ring with experienced then-amateurs like Ablaikhan Zhussupov and Dmitri Galagot.
Also, when he was in the U.S. Olympic training camp in Colorado Springs as an amateur, he shared the ring with the unbeaten former WBO featherweight titleholder, Shakur Stevenson.
He commenced his professional career after he signed a promotional contract with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing in May 2019 and he made his debut on May 10 in a victory fight over Luka Leskovic.
Since he turned pro, he has defeated a couple of boxers including Ibrar Riyaz, Marko Radenovic, and Michael Carrero. So far, he has remained unbeaten as a professional and has won all his 14 fights. 10 by KO and 4 by decision.
Smith is known for his ability to adapt, which he said he got from his amateur career. He also has good punching power.
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Dalton Smith almost lost his father and trainer
Dalton and his father started their journey in sports together. Grant, who now runs the Steel City gym, used to take Smith to the gym when he was a child. The older Smith has always been around boxing he has never competed himself.
The boxer revealed that in 2007, his father suffered a near-death accident when he was out running with headphones and got hit by a tram at 28mph. Even though the doctors gave his father only 24 hours to live, his father made a full recovery after he underwent surgery on his brain.
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