A Sheffield homecoming for WBC super-lightweight champion Dalton Smith (19-0, 14 KOs) has been put on hold.

The 29-year-old was set to make the first defence of his title against former champion Alberto Puello (24-1, 10 KOs) on June 6 at the Utilita Arena. However, earlier today (April 17), Smith’s promoter, Matchroom Boxing, revealed the unbeaten puncher had suffered an injury in camp, forcing the main event to be scrapped.

Smith vs. Puello scrapped in favor of new main event fight

In a statement published on X, Matchroom confirmed that the flyweight unification clash between Ricardo Sandoval and Galal Yafai will be elevated from chief support to top billing.

Smith’s setback will come as a major disappointment to his team and supporters, particularly following his thrilling victory in January over the hard-hitting Subriel Matias. Fans at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn were treated to a five-round war as Smith abandoned his usual boxing to meet Matias head-on, ultimately proving the heavier-handed by stopping the former champion.

Britain’s latest world champion earned widespread praise for travelling to the United States to win a world title — a feat achieved by relatively few British fighters.

The June 6 card will still go ahead, with Matchroom confirming tickets remain valid. Refunds are available via the original point of purchase.

While Smith-Puello promised fireworks for the WBC title, Sandoval (27-2, 28 KOs) and Yafai (9-0, 7 KOs) have all the ingredients to deliver a high-class contest at 112lbs.

Sandoval claimed unified honours in impressive fashion last summer with victory over Japan’s Kenshiro Teraji. The Californian now heads to Sheffield to face Olympic gold medallist Yafai.

Cheated

The Birmingham man, younger brother of former professionals Kal and Gamal, had been building momentum with nine straight wins, including an eye-catching dismantling of Sunny Edwards. That progress appeared to stall following a punishing points defeat to Francisco Rodriguez Jr last June, only for the result to later be overturned to a no contest after Rodriguez failed a drugs test.

Questions remain over what Yafai took out of that bruising encounter. Though ultimately wronged, it was a taxing fight — the type that can leave a lasting mark. By the time he steps into the ring with Sandoval, nearly a year will have passed since his last outing. His clash with the champion will reveal whether he is ready to seize his moment and etch his name into British boxing history.

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