A Win, But Not The Night He Wanted
Right then. I said Dalton Smith would stop Alberto Puello in the ninth or tenth round. I was wrong. Smith (20-0, 14 KOs) kept his WBC super lightweight title in Sheffield, but it took a split decision to do it, and Puello (25-2) will feel unlucky to have left empty-handed.
Let's not beat around the bush about the cards. Two judges had it 115-113 to Smith, and one had it 116-112 for Puello. That is a proper spread of opinion, and it tells you how tight and awkward the fight was.
The Southpaw Problem Was Real
I wrote in the build-up that the lead foot battle would decide the early rounds. It did more than that. Smith is a knockout puncher, and he struggled to land his power shots on the southpaw. Puello made him miss, made him think, and made a home crowd that wanted fireworks wait for them.
Credit to Smith for being honest afterwards. He said, "He respected my power and he is a lot more experienced than me." That is not the language of a man who is happy with a performance. It is the language of a champion who knows exactly what he has to fix.
The Body Work Won It
The adjustment came from around the eighth round, when Smith started working the body. That was the plan I wanted to see, and it is what swung the closing rounds his way. The problem is that it came too late to put Puello away. Nobody hit the canvas, and Puello was still very much in it when the final bell rang.
If Smith had committed to the body three or four rounds earlier, we might be talking about the stoppage I predicted. Make no mistake, that is the lesson. Against clever operators, the plan has to start in round one, not round eight.
Where Does Smith Go From Here?
Reports after the fight have Smith targeting Shakur Stevenson for a UK stadium show. That is the kind of fight the division needs, but this performance raises a fair question. If a 25-2 southpaw can make him this uncomfortable, what does a fighter of Stevenson's levels do to him? I would not rush it.
Smith is a brilliant champion with real power and a great story, and one split decision does not change that. But he now has a blueprint staring him in the face, and so does everyone else at 140 pounds.
Luke’s Verdict
Smith deserves the win on two of the three cards, and Puello deserves credit for a very clever night's work. For me it was close enough that a rematch would be a proper fight, and I would back Smith to do the job more convincingly second time around because he now knows the answer is the body. If you know, you know.
Read my fight eve piece on Smith vs Puello to see exactly where I got it wrong, check the fight schedule for what is next, and keep up with everything on the news page.