Dalton Smith will make the first defense of his WBC super lightweight title against mandatory challenger Alberto Puello on October 24 at Utilita Arena Sheffield.
Smith returns home after capturing the championship with a fifth-round knockout of Subriel Matias at Barclays Center in January.
Watch Matias vs. Smith highlights: Watch
The fight with Puello was originally scheduled for May before Smith suffered an injury, but the Sheffield champion says he has now fully recovered and returned to training.
“Winning the belt was never the end goal,” Smith said. “I want to build a legacy, and that starts with defending the title against the best challengers in the division.”
Puello is a former two-time world champion and earned his position as the WBC mandatory challenger. Smith acknowledged the difficulty of the matchup but promised a statement performance in front of his home supporters.
Smith also revealed that promoter Eddie Hearn has discussed a possible Hillsborough fight next summer if the October event sells out.
