From the opening bell, the fight moved in a direction that usually suits Matias. The exchanges were heavy, the range collapsing quickly as he forced Smith into a battle. Smith tried to box, give ground, but Matias pressed, turning the first two rounds into a typical pressure fight. Smith absorbed the shots, his eye beginning to swell. Matias seemed comfortable, bringing Smith deep into the fight where he typically dominates.
The read from most observers was simple: Matias wears opponents down until they fold. Smith, like others, was expected to follow that path. But Smith didn’t fold.
There’s a new world champ in the UK🇵🇷#MatiasSmith replay on https://t.co/op5b8eSOjx pic.twitter.com/PrXJylxLHJ
— PPV.COM (@ppv_com) January 11, 2026
Instead, Smith adjusted without retreating.
By round three, he stopped throwing to trade and began timing Matias as he closed the distance. He stopped exchanging punches recklessly and started throwing to land. The right hand found its home, and as the rounds wore on, the exchanges became shorter. Matias still pressed forward, but he was walking into sharper punches and taking damage in places where he usually controls.
The shift was subtle at first. But by the fifth, it was clear.
Smith landed a sharp right hand that dropped Matias. He rose, but his balance was gone. A second right hand followed. Matias didn’t get up this time. The fight ended there, sudden and decisive. There was no accumulation of punches, no slow breakdown. It was a clean finish. One fighter had solved the other and finished him.
Smith’s victory crowned him the new WBC super lightweight champion and contributed to a historic moment for British boxing, with four male world champions at the same time. It also ended Matias’ run as one of the division’s most feared pressure fighters, despite Matias being the heavy favorite.
There was context around Matias heading into the fight, talk of past testing issues. but that did not decide the outcome. The punches did.
Smith proved that he could absorb pressure, adjust under fire, and finish a champion who hadn’t been stopped before.
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Last Updated on 01/11/2026
