Hometown hero Dalton Smith retained his WBC super lightweight title with a split-decision win over Alberto Puello in Sheffield.

Smith (20-0, 14 KOs) won the belt in spectacular fashion when he stopped feared puncher Subriel Matias in New York back in January. This maiden defence — originally scheduled for June after Smith suffered an elbow injury — was always likely to be a contrasting affair, and so it proved as former two-time champion Puello (25-2, 11 KOs) brought all of his ring smarts to the table in an attempt to ruin the party.

Remarkably, Puello had won three title fights on split decisions prior his majority-decision loss to Matias. That one-man war against unanimity continued as one judge saw it 116-112 in his favour, but two others gave it to Smith by 115-113. The Sporting News scored the bout 116-112 to Smith from ringside.

Fans hollered the chants of Smith’s beloved Sheffield Wednesday throughout and, after the fight, the champion once again expressed his wish to headline at his club’s Hillsborough stadium next summer.

Promoter Eddie Hearn added fuel to those dreams by floating pound-for-pound superstar and current WBO champion at 140 pounds Shakur Stevenson as a potential opponent.

Puello was busier behind his right jab to shade the opener. Smith got through with one backhand down the pipe but loaded up and missed wildly with an overhand right. The champion started to get the measure of his awkward foe in round two, finding a home for a couple of meaty power shots before having the final word with a hook when they exchanged.

After getting through Smith’s guard with a southpaw left in the third, Puello then had to backpedal after shipping a straight right.

As their respective records coming into this bout suggested, Smith looked the more authoritative puncher. He made Puello miss after a minute of round four before driving him back across the ring. It was starting to look like an arduous task for the visitor as he whistled several lefts off target and was drilled by another right before the bell.

Judicious body work from Smith was also part of the equation as the bout moved towards halfway, while veteran trainer Ismael Salas as increasingly animated in the Puello corner. His fighter tumbled in front of him towards the end of round six, but it was rightly called a slip

They traded a little more frantically until the bell and a Puello one-two that pierced the gloves early in seven was the challenger’s best moment to date. Smith responded by drilling right to the midsection in the next session but then took a left hook coming in. It still felt like another round in the books for the champion, with Puello momentarily unbalanced in the closing seconds and sporting some puffiness around his right eye.

There was a lovely right uppercut to the body in round nine as Smith unfurled a little more of the repertoire, which he had to do given Puello had grown into the contest. He was given a more to think about in the 10th, as a couple of winging lefts to the midsection brought yelps of delight from Salas. Some concussive right hands from Smith checked that momentum in the penultimate stanza.

A head clash meant Smith had to get to the final bell with a bloodied right eye, but his composure never wavered. The Briton even allowed himself a little showboating and an Ali shuffle after 12 technical and mentally gruelling rounds. That momentarily felt unwise when the split verdict became apparent, but Smith was a worthy winner in a high-class affair.

Dalton Smith vs. Alberto Puello full card results

Main card (2 p.m. ET)

Dalton Smith vs. Alberto Puello start timeDate: Saturday, October 17Start time: 4:20 p.m. ETLocation: Utilita Arena – Sheffield

Where to watch Dalton Smith vs. Alberto Puello

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