Dalton Smith edges Alberto Puello on split decision to keep WBC title in Sheffield

Dalton Smith kept his WBC super lightweight title on Saturday night in Sheffield, but it was close. The home fighter beat former two-time world champion Alberto Puello by split decision at a sold-out Utilita Arena. Two judges scored it 115-113 for Smith and the third had Puello ahead 116-112. Smith stays unbeaten at 20-0. His promoter, Eddie Hearn, immediately started pushing for a unification fight with WBO champion Shakur Stevenson.

A tight first defence

This was Smith's first defence of the green belt. He won it in January at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where he stopped Subriel Matias in the fifth round. The Puello fight was first set for June, but Smith pulled out with an elbow injury and it was moved to October.

Puello, a 32-year-old from the Dominican Republic and the naturally bigger man, settled into the fight quicker. Ringside reports had it roughly level after six rounds, with neither man spending much time at close range. Puello landed long right hands and opened a cut on Smith's right cheek late on. Smith answered in the championship rounds. He was more selective with his punches and won enough of the closing stages to take two of the three cards.

Puello's near miss

Puello came in with a record of 25-1 and was trying to win a world title for a third time. He has held the WBA belt and won the WBC title in 2024 with a split-decision win over Gary Antuanne Russell. His only previous loss was to Matias in 2025, which cost him that WBC belt. He had stopped Miguel Angel Bolano in four rounds in July. Losing this one on a split decision leaves him close to the top of the division, and a rematch is something people will ask about.

Stevenson, Azim and a stadium dream

After the fight the talk was about big nights in 2027. Hearn named Stevenson, the unbeaten four-weight world champion, as the fight he wants next. Reports noted that Stevenson's recent split from Zuffa Boxing could make that easier to negotiate. WBA champion Gary Antuanne Russell is another option for a unification. Closer to home, Smith has spoken about a possible all-British fight with unbeaten Adam Azim. Smith also wants to headline a show at Hillsborough, the home of Sheffield Wednesday.

Undercard results

Giorgio Visioli, 23, stayed unbeaten and won the vacant WBC International Silver lightweight title with a majority decision over Maxi Hughes. One judge scored it 95-95 and the other two had it 96-94. Leo Atang knocked Jonathan Exequiel Vergara down three times on the way to a first-round stoppage, his sixth win of 2026, and is due to box again in Monaco on 12 December. Shannon Ryan got revenge on Emma Dolan with a first-round stoppage to win the British super flyweight title. Welterweight Joe Hayden scored an early knockdown on his way to a points win over Will Harrison and is now 25-0.

Key takeaways

• Dalton Smith retained the WBC super lightweight title with a split decision over Alberto Puello (115-113, 115-113, 113-116 on the cards).
• It was Smith's first defence, and he improves to 20-0.
• Puello was cut short of a third world title and falls to 25-2.
• Eddie Hearn wants Smith to face WBO champion Shakur Stevenson next. Gary Antuanne Russell and Adam Azim are the other names in the frame.
• Visioli, Atang, Ryan and Hayden all won on the undercard.

FAQ

What were the scorecards for Smith vs Puello? Two judges scored it 115-113 for Dalton Smith and one had it 116-112 for Alberto Puello, which made it a split decision.

How did Dalton Smith win the WBC title? He stopped Subriel Matias in the fifth round in Brooklyn on 10 January 2026.

Who could Smith fight next? Promoter Eddie Hearn has called for a unification fight with WBO champion Shakur Stevenson. WBA champion Gary Antuanne Russell and British rival Adam Azim have also been mentioned.

Sources: Fightnews, Yahoo Sports, Pro Boxing Fans