Dalton Smith Eyes Shakur Stevenson, But Must Beat Puello First

Dalton Smith says he wants a unification showdown with Shakur Stevenson, but the unbeaten WBC light welterweight champion still has to get past Alberto Puello on October 24 at Utilita Arena Sheffield before any of that talk means anything.

Smith (19-0, 14 KOs) won the WBC strap in January by blasting out Subriel Matias in five rounds in his US debut, a performance that put him on the radar of the sport's biggest names. Now he's naming Stevenson directly as a dream opponent, even as he insists he's not overlooking the champion-vs-champion encounter in front of him.

"I'm boxing to be a part of the biggest fights possible. Of course the Shakur fight would be up there as one of the biggest. I'd love to be a part of that," Smith said. "But of course, I have to get through Puello first."

Why Puello Is a Real Threat, Not a Showcase Fight

Alberto Puello represents a completely different puzzle than the one Smith solved against Matias. Puello (25-1, 11 KOs) is a slick, awkward southpaw who won't walk into counters the way Matias did before getting stopped. Smith has looked devastating against fighters willing to engage, but Puello's angles and timing figure to test his patience and his defense in ways his last outing never did. Smith himself has been careful not to dismiss the threat, acknowledging that the Shakur talk means nothing if he doesn't leave Sheffield with the belt still around his waist.

Can a Smith vs. Stevenson Fight Actually Get Made?

Even a clean win over Puello wouldn't make Dalton Smith vs. Shakur Stevenson an easy fight to put together. Stevenson is tied to Zuffa Boxing and Paramount+, while Smith is a Matchroom fighter under contract to DAZN. Cross-network, cross-promotional fights of this kind typically only get built when the money is enormous, think Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia or a heavyweight undisputed card bankrolled by outside investment. Neither Smith nor Stevenson currently moves that kind of pay-per-view needle in the United States, and there's little incentive for either side to loan out its champion or share production control for what would still be a regular-season streaming card. None of that kills the idea, but it does mean fans shouldn't expect the fight to materialize quickly even if Smith gets through Puello.

Betting Angle

Smith enters as champion and the betting favorite against Puello given his power and momentum off the Matias stoppage, but line-watchers should be wary of pricing this as a formality. Puello's style, a sharp counter-punching southpaw who avoids walking into shots, is exactly the kind of test that has derailed heavy favorites before. Anyone leaning on Smith to blow through this the way he did Matias is betting on a stylistic matchup that doesn't support an easy knockout. The smarter number to watch may be the distance or round-total markets rather than backing a quick finish outright.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Dalton Smith fight Alberto Puello?

Dalton Smith defends his WBC light welterweight title against Alberto Puello on October 24 at Utilita Arena Sheffield.

Why does Dalton Smith want to fight Shakur Stevenson?

Dalton Smith has called a unification bout with Shakur Stevenson one of the biggest fights available, but says he must first get past Alberto Puello to keep his WBC title.

What is stopping a Dalton Smith vs. Shakur Stevenson fight from happening?

Shakur Stevenson is signed to Zuffa Boxing and Paramount+ while Dalton Smith fights under Matchroom and DAZN, a promotional and network split that makes the fight difficult to assemble without major financial incentive.