Tony Bellew believes the Sheffield world champion is one big night from superstardom, and Adam Azim at Hillsborough is that night.
Dalton Smith has the world title. Now he needs the spotlight. Former cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew argues that the Sheffield fighter has everything required to become British boxing's next crossover name, but that belts alone won't get him there.
Bellew's case is simple: stars are made by events, not just by victories. Smith's aggressive, pressure-heavy style is built for crowds, and his Sheffield roots give him a story people can rally behind. What he needs is an opponent who turns a good fight into a national conversation.
That opponent, in Bellew's eyes, is Adam Azim. The two are unbeaten-minded, fan-friendly talents operating in the same weight class, and the contrast between them sells itself. Smith is the relentless, in-your-face pressure fighter. Azim is the sharp, flashy, high-skill operator. It's the kind of clash of styles that makes casual fans pay attention.
Then there's the venue. Taking the fight to Hillsborough would put Smith in front of a stadium full of his own people, with the kind of atmosphere that defines careers. Bellew sees it as the ideal stage: a hometown night, a rival with real buzz, and a chance to move from boxing's main stage to the wider sporting mainstream. The only question is whether the fight gets made.
