Giorgio Visioli steps up to his biggest challenge yet against former world champion on Dalton Smith vs Alberto Puello undercard

Dalton Smith vs Alberto Puello undercard announced

Dalton Smith vowed to defend his WBC World Super Lightweight Title in style when he headlines in his home city of Sheffield on Saturday, October 24 – live worldwide on DAZN – as he met rival Alberto Puello for the first time at a launch press conference today.

’Thunder’ Smith celebrated one of the greatest away wins in British boxing history back in January when he spectacularly stopped Subriel Matias in Brooklyn, New York, to captured the coveted Green & Gold belt.

And former two-time World Champion Puello stands in his way next as mandatory challenger for the belt.

The dangerous Dominican southpaw is determined to spoil Smith’s homecoming and be reunited with the title he surrendered in 2025 when he lost to Matias.

But as the pair stood face-to-face for the first time, Smith insisted the belt will be staying put with him in Sheffield for some time yet as he promised to deliver a special night in the Steel City.

A stellar supporting cast for 'Steel City King' Smith’s homecoming at the Utilita Arena was announced in full.

Tickets for October 24 are available now via tickemaster.co.uk & events365.com.

The WBC International Silver Lightweight Title is up for grab as English Champion Giorgio Visioli (11-0, 6 KOs) steps up to his biggest challenge yet in the form of former IBO World Champion, Maxi Hughes (29-9-2, 6 KOs).

York’s teenage Heavyweight sensation Leo Atang (8-0, 7 KOs) is back on home soil too, fresh from his emphatic knockout victory in Los Angeles against Glen Williams earlier this summer on his US debut. An opponent for the 19-year-old will be named in due course.

The undercad sees Super Featherweight contender Aqib Fiaz returns to the Utilita Arena where he succumbed to an agonisingly close, split points defeat by Josh Padley back in June. The Manchester man (14-2, 2 KOs) will face Oxford’s former European title challenger in Jordan Flynn (13-2-1, 2 KOs). 

An exciting rematch awaits when Shannon ‘Kaos' Ryan (11-1,  2 KOs) looks to avenge her only career defeat when she takes on her 2024 nemesis in Emma Dolan (9-1, 1 KO) as the pair get set to collide again with the British, Commonwealth and Intercontinental Super Flyweight Titles on the line. 

Plus, in a Yorkshire derby Super Welterweight Joe Hayden (24-0, 4 KOs) takes on Will ‘The Thrill’ Harrison (8-1-2) and Steel City Gym Middleweight prospect Chris Mulunda (4-0) looks to extend his unbeaten record with a win in front of his home crowd.

Here are the quotes from today's launch press conference:

DALTON SMITH: “Just to be sat here right now as a World Champion feels special. I remember doing this the first time we headlined for the British Title. I’ve done everything I said I was going to do; go through all the belts and bring a World Title back to Sheffield and have a big homecoming. This is what I’ve got now. It’s a tough test in front of me but that’s what brings the best out of me. Sheffield, October 24th it’s going to be loud. The atmosphere is going to be noisy. It’s going to be a special moment for me. 

“Style wise Alberto Puello is a great champion. He’s a two-time World Champion for a reason. But like I said, I’ve always liked that style – southpaws. It’ll be completely different from my last fight. I’m expecting a high-level boxing fight in this one. Alberto is someone we have studied for the last 18 months, before the Matias fight when he was World Champion. He’s been on our radar for quite a while. We’ve studied him quite a bit so I’m very familiar with his style, what he does well and what he doesn’t do well. That’s for me on October 24 to put that into action."

ALBERTO PUELLO: “Well, firstly, I am very excited to be here, to come to this country and to be able to put on a great show. But more than anything it is to be able to take this title home once again, as well as putting on a great show for the fans. 

“The only thing I think about when I look back on that fight is that you should never abandon your fight plan. I feel like the reason why I didn’t get a clear victory is because I fell into his trap and into his game. I feel like if I’d have continued on with the plan that I’d had, my fight plan, it would have been a completely different story. 

“I think like everybody I was very surprised that Dalton Smith could go and knockout Subriel Matias. I don’t want to take anything away from Dalton Smith as a fighter but I think it was a big surprise that he was able to knock him out.

“There’s very few things I can say about weaknesses, I don’t see many weaknesses in him. But what I will say is that it will be hugely satisfying to come here to his home and to rip the belt away from him. It will be really satisfying for me and a humiliation for him.”

GIORGIO VISIOLI: “I think it will bring the best out of me. Maxi has boxed in three World Title eliminators, I think. I think he will bring the best out in me. It will allow me to bring more of my style out and show more counter punching and stuff. I’m looking forward to it. I was offered a few opponents but I was first to say yes to Maxi. I wanted the hardest challenge. I want to show the world what I can do. I think this is past British level. I think he is fringe European level. This is past British level and I’m looking forward to showing my levels on that night. I can’t wait. If I win this fight bigger fights are in the distance. For us, our team hasn’t thought that he’s over the hill at all. We’ve just been offered the fight and we’ve taken it. We’re going to train fully prepared and think he’s still there. Those last two fights, we’re not even going to look at those last two fights. He only had two weeks’ notice. We’re going to look at previous fights and see what we can do from there. I believe I can go all the way so we’ve got to take these fights and I’m looking forward to it.”

MAXI HUGHES: “I suppose looking at my career, taking that short notice, a lot of armchair fans and people thought I’m finished. We’re where I am with my age in my career. I always knew the phone was going to ring. People look at me and think, ‘he’s been at that level and we think maybe he’s over the hill’. I’ve been around a while. I’m the oldest on this table. People who I look up to in recent years are the likes of Kiko Martinez – he fought at a high level to the very end and he got to decided when he was done. That’s how I feel about it. Boxing gives me and my family a great life and I get to decide when I’m done. I still believe I’ve got what it takes. We had a bit of a hiccup earlier this year, I stepped up in weight and realised I’m nowhere near big enough for that weight on short notice. No regrets in taking that. I’ve reset and I’ve still got that desire. That’s why I’m sat here now. Giorgio is a great fighter, he’s the young pup coming through. It’s my job now to say, ‘it’s still my time’. I’m still current and I’m still enjoying my boxing.” 

LEO ATANG: “All in all, it was a great experience getting over to the States; it’s a different world over there. Boxing outside in the heat and stuff, more stuff I can add to my experience going into the future. I enjoyed the performance and it was a good trip.

“We want knockouts. We’re going to step up the levels again this year and just improve with each performance. Even if there’s little gaps in between each fight, there’s going to be big improvements in my performances every time.”