Paul Smith vs. Tony Dodson for vacant British 168 lb. title on June 29th at the Bolton Arena

By Boxing News - 06/14/2013 - Comments

smith434By Scott Gilfoid: Paul Smith (32-3, 18 KO’s) will be taking his career in reverse mode this month on June 29th when he faces Tony Dodson (29-7-1, 14 KO’s) in a rematch for the vacant BBBofC British super middleweight title at the Bolton Arena, Bolton, Lancashire, UK. Smith already beat the 32-year-old Dodson in an ugly clinch-filled fight in 2010.

There wasn’t much to note about the fight other than all the dreadful head-butts that occurred left and right and all the dripping blood from the cuts the two fighters suffered in the fight.

The fight had a pattern where the referee would separate them and then either Dodson or Smith would throw a punch and then his head and come forward for an embrace. I mean, it was like watching two fighters slow dance for 12 rounds. Dodson lost a point in the 10th for holding, but I thought Smith should have been docked some points himself because he was initiating a lot of clinches himself by falling forward after throwing his shots. Smith just looked tired and out of shape in the fight, and he didn’t have the inside fighting skills to do much with Dodson.

Smith previously held the British 168 lb. title from 2009-2010 when he lost it to James DeGale by a 9th round TKO. Smith then won his next two fights against weak opposition before getting stopped in the 2nd round by George Groves in November of 2011. Since that fight, Smith has fought only once in beating Tommy Tolan by a 4th round stoppage last November.

Dodson has won 5 out of his last 6 fights since his loss to Smith. He was stopped by Ovil McKenzie in the 3rd round last year in February, but he’s won his other fights in the last two years. The problem is he’s not really faced anyone of quality, so it’s not a big deal that he’s been winning.

Smith wants the British title again for some reason. I don’t quite understand it because he already had the strap, and he should be aspiring to more than that at his age, such as the European belt or going after a world contender.



Comments are closed.