By Terence Dooley

Liverpool rivals Paul Smith and Tony Dodson defied their critics when producing a thrilling British Super middleweight title encounter at the Bolton Arena on June 29th.  News that the two cross city compatriots would contest the title that Kenny Anderson vacated for personal reasons was met with a groan and cries of “Why them two?” from people who clearly failed to look at the division’s top ten and apply a modicum of lateral thinking.  Throw in a first fight in March 2010 that was an ugly maul and the return was written off as a contest before either man had even thrown a punch.

Thankfully the second encounter more than made up for the first one, both men gritted their teeth, gave and took big shots and produced entertaining aplenty before Smith ended the fight by wobbling his opponent with a huge right hand, which prompted referee Richie Davies to end the contest at 2:31 of the sixth round.  It means that the “Real Gone Kid” is British champion once again, and the 30-year-old couldn’t be happier.

“It is great, I’m buzzing and just glad that I’ve finally put a good performance in, one that I know I had in me and was saying I had in me,” he said when speaking to BoxingScene.  “I was saying before the fight that it would be different this time because of the way I’m fighting now.  When I fought him last time, I sort of forgot, or had it drummed out of me, how to fight inside and I wasn’t mentally right for getting inside.  I’d want to hold, want to be safe inside, instead of letting my own shots go inside like I did as an amateur at the Rotunda or when I was with Billy Graham when I first turned pro.  That’s returned now with Joe [Gallagher].

“I was telling people that I was a better fighter than three-years ago.  Some people looked at me and thought: ‘I don’t believe it’, and I think Tony didn’t believe it, but he saw it on the night and got a shock.  I’m glad I got to show it.”

Smith, 33-3 (19), detonated a huge left hook on Dodson’s chin in the third round, the shot floored Dodson heavily and many felt that he would be unable to beat the count.  Dodson, though, lived up to his nickname of “The Warrior” by getting up and finishing the round strongly.

“I caught him and thought: ‘Stay down, you bastard’, because I knew that would be a good knockdown and a good win — you always want a fight over as quick as you can,” he said.  “I saw him breathe in a little, and that breath is where a fighter either spews it or thinks ‘Fuck it’ and gets up for more. 

“Tony showed a lot of balls.  That didn’t surprise me, but it was like looking at the Tony Dodson of old — the guy who’d fight until his last breath.  That’s what he is as a person, so I shouldn’t have been surprised by his toughness.  He was so fit for the fight so that’s probably what helped him recover so quickly.  I nailed him with some great shots before and after that.  I know I can punch.”

A whole host of top names, from Billy Graham through to Joe Gallagher, have told me that Smith’s power is deceptive and that it is game over if he catches you cleanly on the chin.  People scoff at the suggestion, but may have started to reappraise the Liverpudlian’s punching power in light of some of the hard, clean shots that he landed in the fight.  Not least the right hook that prompted a compassionate stoppage from the ref.

“It was just a good shot,” said Smith.  “I didn’t think to myself: ‘I’ll throw a jab and then the right hand’ — it’s just a good habit that I’ve picked up in the gym under Joe.  It is a shot I like throwing on the pads.  We’d been working on jab and right hook, and that’s what I knocked him out with.”

Gallagher had a hell of a night.  Smith was in action, Anthony Crolla met Gavin Rees, and won a justified decision, and Scott Quigg made short work of William Prado.  Both Smith and Gallagher could be forgiven a few nervous nights leading up to the show.  Smith, though, believes he is a different fighter to the one he was when he joined Gallagher after losing the British title.

He added: “Yeah, I got beat by [James] DeGale [lost TKO 9 in December 2010], but I wasn’t prepared.  He wasn’t hurting me, I get hit harder in sparring by the lads, and it was just the amount of shots that he was throwing.  Against [George] Groves in November 2011], I just got chinned in the second round.  It wasn’t a war so I’m not shopworn or anything like that.  I live right, am not a boozer and have never taken a drug in my life.”

“Smigga” is once again the proud owner of a Lonsdale belt, and he wants it for keeps as soon as possible.  The champion is equally as proud of the fact that he has brought the British title to Gallagher’s Gym.

“This title is important to me, I can’t speak for other fighters,” he said.  “The belt is the best in boxing.  Everyone’s been looking at it, patting me on the back and thanking me for bringing it home.  It’s great to have a belt to show off again and it’s my first under Joe, so that’s great for the gym.  This belt means the world to me and my son especially.  One more win and it’s mine for keep and I can move on to European and world level, which is something I think I can do.”

Dodson, 29-8-1 (14), deserves a lot of plaudits for his part in the fight.  The 33-year-old dug deep throughout and landed some big shots of his own.  Smith needed to be on his game, and he told me that Gallagher’s work in the corner ensured that he was sharp throughout.

He said: “I speak to my brothers about this all the time — it’s good to go back to a calm corner.  I like the way Joe talks and it felt good going back after one round to hear: ‘You’re doing this and that good, but don’t you dare throw a lazy jab again,’ which is sound advice.  Joe is very praising, very constructive and I like going back to the corner and listening to him.  I respect him for that and he respects the lads. 

“Joe had a break for a week after the fights because he really put the hours in.  You know what he’s like; he isn’t just in the gym for a few hours then back home.  He’s there in the morning for the swims, then we’ll do the gym stuff, then he’s back at home at three o’clock to see his kids and he’ll come back in the evening to do the track stuff before going home at nine o’clock.  That’s his day — 7 until 9 — and it’s amazing.”

Smith’s suffered with hand injuries in the past.  However, despite landing some big shots, his fists have held up and, all things being equal, he expects to secure a quick fire defence of the British belt.

“I feel fine,” he said.  “My left hand has been sore and bruised, I think I did that with the left hook, but there’s no breaks or anything so I was back in the gym this morning at the Rotunda.  Tony Bellew was there, Jamie Carragher was there training and my mates were there so we all got stuck in.  Then I did my yoga class this morning, which is a bit daft in this heat.  The sooner a fight comes along the better.

“I haven’t really spoken about future fights yet.  We all agreed that we want a quick defence of this belt to win it outright and then move on from there.  I want another three years.  Work that out whatever way fights-wise you want to.  I’m not badly injured or ballooning up in weight.”

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