Dalton Smith makes the first defence of his WBC light-welterweight world title against former champion Alberto Puello in Sheffield on Saturday, 24 October.

The unbeaten Smith, 29, returns to his home city nine months after producing the biggest victory of his career by stopping Subriel Matias in New York to become world champion.

It is a homecoming which has been a long time coming.

Smith was originally due to face mandatory challenger Puello at the Utilita Arena in June, only for an injury suffered in training to force the fight to be postponed.

Dominican Puello, 32, is a former WBA and WBC champion whose only professional defeat came against Matias.

Can Smith cap his breakthrough year with another statement win? Or can Puello regain the title he lost in 2025?

All you need to know about the fight night is below.

How to follow Smith v Puello on the BBC

Stacey Copeland will present the live coverage, joined by lead commentator Ronald McIntosh, with Steve Bunce and former super-middleweight world champion Richie Woodhall providing co-commentary.

What time are the ringwalks for Smith v Puello?

Smith v Puello undercard & running order

Giorgio Visioli v Maxi Hughes - vacant WBC International Silver lightweight title

Shannon Ryan v Emma Dolan - British, Commonwealth and IBF Inter-Continental super-flyweight titles

Edward Hardy v Ibrahim Nadim - super-featherweight

Aqib Fiaz v Jordan Flynn - super-featherweight

Joe Hayden v Will Harrison - welterweight

Leo Atang v TBA - heavyweight

Connor Mitchell v TBA - super-featherweight

Chris Mulunda v Harley Collison - middleweight

Smith v Puello fight week schedule

How did Smith become world champion?

Smith won English, British, Commonwealth and European honours on his way through the domestic ranks.

He travelled to Brooklyn in January as the challenger against one of the division's most feared punchers.

Matias had won 22 of his 23 professional victories by stoppage and Smith was fighting in the United States for the first time.

The Sheffield fighter elected to trade with Matias and, in a thrilling fifth round, dropped the Puerto Rican with a huge right hand before the referee stopped the contest.

It was the first time Matias had been stopped as a professional and took Smith's unbeaten record to 19 victories, with 14 inside the distance.

How tough a homecoming is this for Smith?

Smith enters with a perfect record of 19 wins from 19 fights, with 14 knockouts.

There are easier opponents to choose for a first world-title defence but Smith does not have a choice as Puello is his mandatory challenger.

The Dominican has 25 wins from 26 professional fights, with 11 knockouts, and has already twice held a version of a world title.

Puello won the WBA belt by beating Batyr Akhmedov in 2022 and later defeated the highly rated Gary Antuanne Russell to claim the WBC interim title.

He was elevated to full champion and went on to beat Sandor Martin before losing the belt to Matias by majority decision in July 2025.

Puello also presents Smith with a very different stylistic challenge to Matias. Rather than applying relentless pressure, he is a slick southpaw who relies on movement, speed and counter-punching.

Can Smith become a breakout star?

Smith has long been regarded as one of British boxing's leading prospects, but victory over Matias moved him onto the world stage and a successful first defence would strengthen his claim to be one of the best fighters in the division.

It could also open the door to much bigger fights. Shakur Stevenson holds the WBO title, while Russell is the WBA champion. The IBF title is vacant.

There is also a domestic rivalry developing with unbeaten Londoner Adam Azim.

Azim is 15-0 and has been talked about as a future world champion, but Smith has, for now, moved ahead of him in terms of achievement by winning a recognised world title.

Should Azim reach that level, a future all-British world-title fight could become one of the biggest contests available to both men.

Promoter Eddie Hearn has previously talked about the prospect of Smith eventually headlining at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough Stadium if his profile continues to grow, while Smith has spoken about wanting to build the kind of travelling support Ricky Hatton enjoyed at his peak.

Beating a former champion of Puello's quality on home soil would help show whether he can become one of British boxing's headline names.