Dalton Smith will make a first defence of his junior welterweight title against Alberto Puello on June 6 in his home city of Sheffield in the north of England, Matchroom have confirmed.
Smith (19-0, 14 KOs) won the WBC belt in January, beating Subriel Matias with a Round 5 knockout in Brooklyn.
He will now return to the UK and fight as a world champion for the first time at home.
Smith is ESPN’s No. 5 ranked junior welterweight, while Puello (24-1, 14 KOs) is ranked No. 7 and is the Brit’s mandatory challenger for his title.
Smith’s win over Matias, and the manner of the victory, came as a surprise to many and was hailed as one of the great wins by a Brit on foreign soil. The pair became locked in a brutal slug-fest before Smith caught the Puerto Rican with a pair of right hands in Round 5.
“New York was a trip of a lifetime, but now it’s about bringing big world title fights to Sheffield and it’s great to start my reign as champion back at the Utilita Arena,” Smith said.
“It’s straight into a mandatory defence so you expect world class opponents. There’s no denying Puello’s a top boxer. He’s a two-time champion for a reason.”
Puello is a two-time junior welterweight champion having won titles in 2022 and 2025 before the only defeat of his career against Matias in July 2025.
“This is another mega fight coming to British shores — and another one for fight fans to enjoy on the Global Home of Boxing, DAZN. Dalton’s win in Brooklyn will live long in the memory. It was an incredible night. Now he has the chance to cement his legacy and forge his name into folklore,” promoter Eddie Hearn said.
“Dalton is the Steel City King and Alberto Puello — a formidable, former two-time world champion in his own right — will be in for one tough night with an electric atmosphere awaiting him in Sheffield.”
