Popular fighter hints next contest will be on world champion’s undercard.
In January, Sheffield’s Dalton ‘Thunder’ Smith (19-0, 14 KOs) became the WBC super-lightweight champion by beating Subriel Matías.
Already considered one of the best away wins in British boxing history, Smith travelled to the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn, New York, to stop the feared Puerto Rican in enemy territory and surprise many in the process.
The fantastic performance reminded certain hard-core fans of Lloyd Honeyghan’s travel to America to defeat Donald Curry and the more recent example of Smith’s fellow Sheffield man Kell Brook going to the United States to upset Shawn Porter.
But whichever victory it brought to mind, Smith’s brilliant showing ensured he had a belt to wrap around himself and a new spot on the world scene.
The mandatory challenger for that belt is the Dominican Republic’s Alberto Puello, who previously held the title himself before losing it in an ever-so-close decision to Matías last July.
It has been confirmed by Mauricio Sulaiman (president of the WBC) that Smith will have to defend his title against Puello next in a contest that is likely to take place at the Hillsborough Stadium in Smith’s native Sheffield.
Puello himself has stated that he has no problem with travelling for his shot at becoming a two-time world champion, meaning British fans may get to see one of their own defend his status as champion fairly soon.
Another fighter who fought in Sheffield recently is popular heavyweight Dave Allen, who attracted a crowd of over 12,000 to the city’s Utilita Arena when he took on Arslanbek Makhmudov in October.
Despite losing on the cards, the atmosphere in the venue was electric, and Allen has spoken of wanting to fight in Sheffield again for his next bout.
Only, it may end up being Dalton Smith who headlines and not him.
In an interview with iFL TV, the affable Doncaster big man–fresh off a one-round destruction of Karim Berredjem–was asked when he would next be out and if he would be headlining on that occasion, to which he replied, “No, Dalton Smith will. Josh Padley. You know, Junaid [Bostan]. Be amazin’ to fill Sheffield back up, have a good night, yeah.”
Allen previously shared a bill with Padley and Bostan when he fought Makhmudov, and a world title fight with all three on the undercard is bound to draw a massive audience.
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