Dalton Smith beats Alberto Puello on split decision to keep WBC title
Britain's Dalton Smith retained his WBC super-lightweight world title with a split-decision win over Alberto Puello in Sheffield, staying unbeaten at 20-0 in a close, disputed fight.
At a glance
- Dalton Smith beat Alberto Puello by split decision at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield on Saturday, October 24, 2026, in the first defence of his WBC super-lightweight (140 lb) world title.
- Two judges scored it 115-113 for Smith; the third had it 116-112 for Puello. There were no knockdowns.
- Smith is now 20-0 with 14 knockouts; Puello, a former WBC champion from the Dominican Republic, falls to 24-2.
- Smith started faster and hurt Puello in round 4, but Puello won several middle rounds and opened a cut on Smith's cheek in the 12th, and many observers felt the result could have gone either way.
- Possible next opponents include the IBF title winner, WBA champion Gary Antuanne Russell or WBO champion Shakur Stevenson.
Dalton Smith kept his WBC super-lightweight world title with a split-decision win over former champion Alberto Puello at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield on Saturday, October 24, 2026. Two judges scored the 12-round fight 115-113 for the home fighter and one had it 116-112 for Puello, leaving Smith unbeaten at 20-0 after the first defence of his belt — and a close contest that many ringside felt could have gone either way.
The result
| Dalton Smith vs Alberto Puello | |
|---|---|
| Date and venue | October 24, 2026, Utilita Arena, Sheffield |
| Title | WBC super-lightweight (140 lb), mandatory defence |
| Result | Smith wins by split decision |
| Judges' scores | 115-113 Smith, 115-113 Smith, 112-116 Puello |
| Knockdowns | None |
| Smith's record | 20-0 (14 KOs) |
| Puello's record | 24-2 (10 KOs) |
How the fight went
Smith, fighting in his home city, made the faster start. He pressed forward behind quick hands in the opening rounds, landing right hands to the body and counters as Puello used his footwork to stay out of range. In the fourth round Smith caught the Dominican with a hard right that hurt him and finished the round with a sharp left-right combination.
The middle rounds belonged more to Puello. Puello stood his ground and traded in the fifth, landed a heavy right hook in the seventh and used his head movement to make Smith miss in the eighth. By the ninth the title was in the balance, with both men landing to the body.
Smith pushed again in the 11th, backing Puello to the ropes, but the final round was tense: Smith was tangled up early, his corner urged him to raise the pace, and a cut opened over his right cheek, which Puello targeted with his left hand. The crowd cheered when the decision was read out, but several boxing writers called the result questionable, scoring the later rounds for Puello.
Background
Smith, from Sheffield, is one of Britain's leading young fighters, and this was the first defence of the WBC belt he won by stopping Subriel Matías in five rounds in New York in January 2026 — a mandatory one against Puello, the former WBC champion. The fight was first set for June 6, 2026, in Sheffield, but was postponed after Smith suffered an elbow injury in April. Puello, from the Dominican Republic, had lost only once before.
What it means
The win keeps Smith in the heart of one of boxing's richest divisions. The 140 lb class includes WBA champion Gary Antuanne Russell and WBO champion Shakur Stevenson, while the vacant IBF title is due to be decided between Lindolfo Delgado and Arthur Biyarslanov. A unification fight with any of them would be Smith's biggest yet, and his team has spoken about bringing a major name to a UK stadium.
For Puello, the narrow defeat may strengthen his case for a rematch or another title shot, given how close the scoring was.
What happens next
No next fight has been announced. Smith is expected to take a voluntary defence in the first months of 2027 before moving towards unification bouts later in the year. Fans can expect talks about a Smith-Stevenson fight to dominate the coming weeks.
Questions people are asking
Who won Dalton Smith vs Alberto Puello?
Dalton Smith won by split decision on October 24, 2026, in Sheffield, with scores of 115-113, 115-113 and 112-116, and kept his WBC super-lightweight world title.
What is Dalton Smith's record?
After beating Alberto Puello, Dalton Smith is unbeaten at 20 wins and no losses, with 14 wins by knockout.
Who will Dalton Smith fight next?
No fight has been announced. Smith may make a voluntary defence early in 2027, with possible unification fights later against the IBF champion, WBA champion Gary Antuanne Russell or WBO champion Shakur Stevenson.
