Smith to Defend WBC Title vs. Puello in Sheffield June 6

Dalton Smith will defend his WBC junior welterweight title against mandatory challenger Alberto Puello on June 6 at Utilita Arena in his hometown of Sheffield, England. The 29-year-old British fighter, undefeated in 19 professional bouts with 14 knockouts, captured the belt in January with a fifth-round stoppage of Subriel Matias in Brooklyn, New York, marking one of the most impressive victories by a British boxer on foreign soil.

Smith's triumph over Matias, a feared puncher from Puerto Rico, came after an intense exchange where he abandoned his initial strategy to trade blows before landing decisive right hands. The win elevated Smith to the top of the division's rankings and set the stage for this mandatory defense, enforced by the WBC with no option for a voluntary bout. Puello, a 31-year-old southpaw from the Dominican Republic now training in Las Vegas, enters with a record of 24 wins and one loss, including 10 knockouts. His defeat to Matias last July by majority decision was his first, ending a reign that began with an interim WBC title in 2024 after Devin Haney vacated the full version. Puello had previously held the WBA title in 2022 but was stripped following a...