JON Fernandez has no issues travelling to fight for the European title. Moreover, he is drawing inspiration from the exploits of a heavy-handed Spanish legend who enjoyed plenty of success on UK and Irish shores over the years.
After Matchroom Boxing won the bid to stage the vacant European title fight between Jon and Dalton Smith, a September date will likely be announced shortly. Fernandez will arrive as a dangerous puncher, just like ‘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 told Boxing News.
Steadily stepping up the levels, in Dalton Smith’s last fight, he looked impressive, breaking down and taking out Jose Zepeda. While the former world-level campaigner is still a threat, Zepeda may not be carrying the same menace of years gone 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 right on Jose Zepeda during their super-lightweight fight at Utilita Area Sheffield on March 23, 2024 in Sheffield, England (George Wood/Getty Images)
Fernandez was last seen defeating former WBA world champion Jezreel Corrales over 10 rounds. Describing the Panamanian as a slippery customer and an experienced, complicated operator, Dalton Smith will not be as difficult to locate in 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 noted puncher.
In fact, it’s the first thing that stands out to most observers. As happy as Fernandez is for that statistic to keep opponents worried, he has other attributes to call upon as well.
“Of course, my punching power is proven. The knockout power is not the only thing that he’s going to have to be worried about because I’m also a very good technician and I’m still going to be very prepared tactically to fight Dalton on the night.
“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 as the strong fight favourite. However, Fernandez sees this as an opportunity to claim a scalp that will propel him back up to world level and reignite his career.
“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 chance to follow in the footsteps of Kiko Martinez, the diminutive power-puncher from Valenciana who bludgeoned Bernard Dunne for the EBU crown back in 2007 in front of a stunned home crowd.
Dubliner Dunne was unbeaten and highly touted by Irish national media. On that warm August evening, 17 years ago, Kiko tore up the pre-written script and took great delight in fluttering every last piece of it across a shocked Point Depot arena.
Repeating that same trick many years later against Kid Galahad, entering enemy ground for a smash-and-grab knockout raid, Dalton’s Sheffield faithful 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 ultimate upsetter, Fernandez is well aware that the onus rests solely on his shoulders to prepare, turn up, and perform.
“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.”