Dalton Smith just held onto his WBC super lightweight title, scraping past Alberto Puello with a split-decision win right there in Sheffield. Smith, still rocking an undefeated 20-0 record with 14 KOs, snatched this belt in January after stopping the feared Subriel Matias in New York. This first defense was a completely different beast, though, a total grind. Puello, a two-time former champ with a 25-2 record and 11 KOs, brought all his veteran smarts to the ring, trying hard to spoil the party.
Puello Made Him Work For Every Second
Seriously, Puello is a maestro of the split decision, it seems. The guy had already won three title fights by split decision before his majority-decision loss to Matias. So, when one judge scored this fight 116-112 in his favor, it wasn’t a shocker. But thankfully, two other judges saw it for Smith, 115-113 each. The Sporting News crew at ringside even had it 116-112 for Smith, which tells you just how tight this battle was. Smith originally had this defense lined up for June, but an elbow injury pushed it back. Good thing he got through it, because Puello was no walkover, he really pushed him to the limit in what was a far cry from Smith’s last spectacular finish.
What’s Next for the Champ? Dreams and Super-Fights
The crowd was absolutely roaring for Smith, chanting for his beloved Sheffield Wednesday throughout the whole fight. After the bell, Smith was already talking big, saying he still wants to headline at his club’s Hillsborough stadium next summer. And guess what? Promoter Eddie Hearn just poured gasoline on those dreams, floating pound-for-pound superstar and current WBO champ at 140 pounds, Shakur Stevenson, as a potential opponent. Can you even imagine that? A unification bout with Stevenson? That’s the kind of fight that could define a career.
So, Smith got the job done, keeping his undefeated streak alive and his belt secure. But the real talk now is about that dream fight at Hillsborough and the possibility of facing a monster like Shakur Stevenson. This was a tough, gritty defense, but it just opened the door to some absolutely massive matchups for Smith. You gotta be hyped for what comes next.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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