Boxing: Sheffield's Dalton Smith proves his mettle as Sunny Edwards chases super-fight

The 25-year-old from Sheffield retained his British super-lightweight title by beating the challenger from Birmingham in Manchester, winning the contest on all three judges’ scorecards although one had him ahead by only a single round.

Despite his power, Smith’s bout with Benjamin proved to be a chess match; the reason for which became clear afterwards.

“I knew I couldn’t push the pace,” he explained. “I nearly didn’t fight last week, my dad said ‘I’m pulling you out.’ But you don’t have all the cards in your favour all the time. I said ‘No’ because these are the fights that make you a world champion. I didn’t train all week. I thought I’m going to clear it up and show how good I can box.”

Smith showcased a different side to his character against Benjamin, going about his business in composed and methodical fashion before also demonstrating his punch resistance in the eighth. Although Benjamin lived up to his billing - “I took on a lad, in my first defence, that nobody else wanted to go in against. I didn’t have to do that,” Smith insisted - the latter’s skillful combinations, powerful jab and sweeping left hooks proved crucial.

“I just take each fight at a time,” Smith continued. “Tonight just felt a little bit flat but that’s what champions do - they get the job done. You can’t stick it on people all the time, they’re too clever. I had to show my boxing ability.”

Sunny Edwards has challenged Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez to make good on his promise and accept a super fight between the pair following his win over Felix Alvarado at the Utilita Arena on Friday. Making the third defence of his IBF flyweight title, Edwards etched a 19th straight victory onto his unblemished professional record thanks to a unanimous points victory over the Nicaraguan.

Insisting he prevailed in more emphatic fashion than the judges’ scorecards (115-113, 115-113 and 116-112) would suggest - “I went up clear and then coasted it from there” - Edwards then turned his attention towards Rodriguez, claiming the WBC super flyweight champion had verbally agreed to meet him in the 112lbs division.

“Bam Rodriguez, you promised me a fight,” said Edwards, who despite being born in London boxes out of Sheffield. “Come and get it.”

Insisting his performance against Alvarado, a noted power puncher, proved he can mix it with the very best, Edwards added: “I rode shots, took shots, threw shots and if I can do that against him then I can do it against anyone.”

Jack Bateson, who like Edwards is a close friend of Sheffield United centre-forward Oli McBurnie, was stopped by Shabaz Masoud with only a minute remaining of their all British clash on the undercard. Both men had entered the ring undefeated, with Masoud now in line to contest the national super bantamweight belt.