Subriel Matias vs Dalton Smith: Preview, Prediction And Betting Odds

Since VADA is a company that relies on the people who pay for their services, the public did not receive a letter or a public statement from VADA regarding the B-Sample results. Instead, we only heard from Matias, who maintained his innocence from the start. The WBC also weighed in, stating that after their investigation, they cleared the fight to proceed on January 10. It’s a lot of taking their word for it, which doesn’t pass the sniff test, especially in today’s era of transparency. Therefore, there is plenty of damage control to do, which Matias can only accomplish with a statement victory on Saturday night in Brooklyn.

So how does Matias secure that statement win? He has to do what he’s always done—apply enough pressure to suffocate his opponent and eventually cause a stoppage. Matias’ punch output needs to stay high, as in all his fights, but to be effective, he must get inside. He’ll only be able to do that by taking some damage on his way in. If Matias can return to his old self and throw punches in bunches, it could lead to a late stoppage or a decision victory.

‘If You Can Make It Here, You Can Make It Anywhere’

The 28-year-old Smith from Sheffield, U.K., has a huge opportunity to make his dreams come true, and there is no better place to do it than New York. The undefeated Smith made his arrival onto the 140-pound division scene in March 2024 when he stopped veteran Jose Zepeda in the fifth round of their fight. Although that was his only fight in 2024, he gloved up twice last year, scoring a first-round knockout and a unanimous decision in those bouts. Now Smith gets his first world title shot against Matias, and if he wins, it could lead to some interesting unification bouts in the future.

What does Smith need to do to beat a buzzsaw like Matias? He has to fight Matias from outside mid-range and prevent him from getting into a rhythm. Smith has solid footwork and a consistent enough left jab to keep Matias at bay, but he will need to be in great shape to do that for 12 rounds. Also, Smith has a right uppercut he throws against opponents who charge straight in, like Matias often does. That punch, if landed accurately, could lead to a knockdown in the fight, but it might not be enough for a stoppage. Smith will have to be smart, in shape, and consistent if he wants to leave the Barclays with the WBC title.

Subriel Matias vs Dalton Smith Prediction

This fight will be closely contested, and both fighters might hit the canvas at some point. In the end, the three judges ringside will decide, and since Matias is the “house” fighter, he will probably win a narrow, split decision over Smith on Saturday night.

Subriel Matias vs Dalton Smith Betting Odds

Per DraftKings SportsBook, Subriel Matias is the favorite at -160, and Dalton Smith is the underdog at +125.

Subriel Matias: TKO/KO +185; Decision +250

Draw: +1400

Dalton Smith: TKO/KO +450; Decision +260