Dalton Smith was set to put up his WBC 140-pound title on the line for the first time in his scheduled bout against Alberto Puello at Sheffield Arena on June 6.
However, DAZN broke the news that Smith has now withdrawn from his scheduled bout after sustaining an injury during his training camp.
The bout was scheduled to take place in Smith’s hometown of Sheffield and was expected to mark his first fight since capturing the world title in a thrilling fight earlier this year. However, the setback has now forced a change to the card.
As of writing, it remains unclear when or if the fight will be rescheduled.
Smith vs Puello cancellation impacts title plans
Smith put on a great performance against Subriel Matias, past January at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. He secured a fifth-round stoppage to win the belt. The ‘Thunder’s plans were built on momentum following his title-winning victory.
Before pursuing potential unification bouts, Smith was set to face Puello, who had been installed as the mandatory challenger for the WBC belt.
The cancellation puts those plans on hold, with uncertainty now surrounding the timeline of Smith’s next appearance.
Who headlines after Smith withdraws?
Despite the change, the Matchroom Boxing card will still go ahead as planned, with a new headline bout confirmed.
WBC and WBA world flyweight champion Ricardo Sandoval will take on Galal Yafai at the Utilita Arena, Sheffield.
The fight will see Sandoval defend his WBC and WBA flyweight titles against Olympic gold medallist Yafai, who has nine victories to his name, out of which seven came via knockouts.
The event, set to be broadcast live on DAZN, remains intact despite Smith’s withdrawal from the headline position.
While the original main event would have marked a significant moment for Smith in front of a home crowd, the revised card still features a high-stakes world title bout.
For now, attention shifts to the new main event, while questions remain over when Smith will return to the ring and resume his title campaign.
