JON Fernandez has no points travelling to combat for the European title. Moreover, he’s drawing inspiration from the exploits of a heavy-handed Spanish legend who loved loads of success on UK and Irish shores through the years.
After Matchroom Boxing gained the bid to stage the vacant European title combat between Jon and Dalton Smith, a September date will possible be introduced shortly. Fernandez will arrive as a harmful puncher, similar to ‘La Sensacion’ Kiko Martinez.
“I’ve no problem whatsoever going to Sheffield or going abroad for the fight. We’ve had the experience with Kiko Martinez, who is on the same team as all of us. They had the great win against [Kid] Galahad, so not a problem,” Fernandez informed Boxing News.
Steadily stepping up the degrees, in Dalton Smith’s final combat, he appeared spectacular, breaking down and taking out Jose Zepeda. While the previous world-level campaigner remains to be a menace, Zepeda will not be carrying the identical menace of years passed by.
“Dalton’s a very good fighter, a very good operator and he had a very good performance against Zepeda. I do think Zepeda was a bit over the top,” opined Fernandez.
“He had very good wins in the past, but it’s going to be a good test for myself to fight Dalton and go to his backyard. It’s also going to be a very good and interesting test for Dalton to fight me, to see where he is at level-wise.”
Dalton Smith lands a proper on Jose Zepeda throughout their super-lightweight combat at Utilita Area Sheffield on March 23, 2024 in Sheffield, England (George Wood/Getty Images)
Fernandez was final seen defeating former WBA world champion Jezreel Corrales over 10 rounds. Describing the Panamanian as a slippery buyer and an skilled, sophisticated operator, Dalton Smith won’t be as troublesome to find within the ring.
With 22 knockouts on Jon’s slate, that opens the potential for a fan-friendly firefight. Smith has already briefly remarked that Jon is a famous puncher.
In reality, it’s the very first thing that stands out to most observers. As completely happy as Fernandez is for that statistic to maintain opponents anxious, he has different attributes to name upon as nicely.
“Of course, my punching energy is confirmed. The knockout energy isn’t the one factor that he’s going to need to be anxious about as a result of I’m additionally an excellent technician and I’m nonetheless going to be very ready tactically to combat Dalton on the evening.
“I’m 100 per cent confident in my team and I do what my team says, with the instructions and tactics going into a fight. But I think it’s very good for a boxer also to watch the fighter that he’s going to face, to see tactically, because I’m going to be the person in the ring and see how I’m going to affront that test,” he added.
Arriving as an undefeated prospect, many will view Smith because the robust combat favorite. However, Fernandez sees this as a possibility to say a scalp that may propel him again as much as world stage and reignite his profession.
“Yes, Dalton is the undefeated prospect. He’s very, very well ranked with all the organisations, especially the WBC. For myself, winning this fight for the European title will then put me in a very good position with the WBC and on to world honours.”
World honours and the possibility to observe within the footsteps of Kiko Martinez, the diminutive power-puncher from Valenciana who bludgeoned Bernard Dunne for the EBU crown again in 2007 in entrance of a surprised residence crowd.
Dubliner Dunne was unbeaten and extremely touted by Irish nationwide media. On that heat August night, 17 years in the past, Kiko tore up the pre-written script and took nice enjoyment of fluttering each final piece of it throughout a shocked Point Depot enviornment.
Repeating that very same trick a few years later in opposition to Kid Galahad, coming into enemy floor for a smash-and-grab knockout raid, Dalton’s Sheffield trustworthy have been warned.
“Kiko is an inspiration, not only to Spanish boxers but to boxing all over the world. Just with the pure determination that he has, he’s always gone to the boxer’s backyard against the odds, like against Galahad,” lauded Jon Fernandez.
“He went as the loser to sort of get beat, and he turned it around. He’s just an inspiration to all boxers and athletes in general.”
While Kiko was the final word upsetter, Fernandez is nicely conscious that the onus rests solely on his shoulders to arrange, flip up, and carry out.
“It’s a very important fight in both our careers. I’m very excited, as I’m sure Dalton is too. It was always a dream of mine to fight in the UK when I turned professional and on such a big stage like this, for the European title. It’ll be a tough fight, but hopefully, the best man will win.”
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