Alberto Puello expects to have an easy night at Dalton Smith’s expense this Saturday in Sheffield. The Dominican challenger does not rate the local belt-holder anywhere near his hardest fights, making it clear that Smith will quickly realize finding a target against him is nothing like teeing off on Subriel Matias.
Puello is counting on his slick defense, ring smarts, and footwork to carry the night. In his eyes, Smith had it easy against a flat-footed brawler like Matias, but trying to pin down an awkward southpaw who refuses to stand in the pocket is going to give the champion fits from the opening bell.
“With my experience, hitting him without getting hit, and my skills, I think I can beat him easily,” Puello said to Fight Wire ahead of their October 24 fight in Sheffield.
When asked if Smith is the toughest test of his career, Puello laughed it off with a quick “Not at all.” He pointed right to Gary Antuanne Russell as a far rougher night, and even put Matias above Smith on the danger scale.
“He beat Subriel Matias, of course, but I also think Subriel Matias is a little more difficult than him,” Puello said.
That take is bound to stir up plenty of noise considering Smith stopped Matias. But Puello is looking strictly at styles. Teeing off on an aggressive slugger who marches straight into range is night and day compared to trying to catch a slick technician who makes you swing at fresh air all night.
“I’m a boxer with plenty of defense. I know how to move around the ring. Subriel Matias only has one way of fighting: going forward, taking punches and throwing them. I know how to hit without getting hit.”
Smith will have to work for every opening instead of banking on a sitting target to stay in punching range. If Puello sticks and moves, the local champion could burn serious fuel chasing a ghost all night instead of enjoying the pocket exchanges he had against Matias.
Puello also expects the roaring Sheffield arena to work against Smith. The champion will feel the heat to put on a show and satisfy his hometown crowd, while Puello can relax, stay patient, and stick to the blueprint without any outside pressure.
He is not just planning to scrape by on the cards, either. Puello made it clear his camp has him ready to take a clean twelve-round decision or jump on a stoppage the second Smith gets reckless and leaves an opening.
We already know how the boxing community will treat Smith if he loses to Puello. It will be merciless. The second the final bell sounds, skeptics will point out that the undefeated record was built on domestic fodder and that Matias was simply a flat-footed slugger tailor-made for Smith to counter.
The defeat would leave Smith’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, standing in the ring, needing to tell the fans what went wrong, and likely talking about a rematch.
