Injury has ruled Dalton Smith out of his WBC junior-welterweight title defence against Alberto Puello on June 6 at the Sheffield Utilita Arena, so the WBC and WBA flyweight title fight between Galal Yafai and Ricardo Sandoval has been promoted to the status of main event.

The 29-year-old Smith was scheduled to make the first defence of his title in his home city of Sheffield, England, having so impressively won it from Subriel Matias in January in New York. Puello, 31 and of the Dominican Republic, had lost the same title to Matias in July 2025 but was Smith’s mandatory challenger.

Smith’s compatriot Yafai, from Birmingham, fights Sandoval in the 27-year-old American’s first defence of the titles won from Kenshiro Teraji, also in July 2025. His previous contest, with Francisco Rodriguez Jnr a month earlier, became a no contest when it was revealed that Rodriguez Jnr had failed a drugs test. It until then had represented the 33-year-old Yafai’s first defeat.

“Dalton Smith has been ruled out of his WBC super-lightweight title defence against Alberto Puello following an injury sustained during camp,” read a statement from the promoters Matchroom.

“The event on Saturday, June 6 at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena will go ahead, headlined by Galal Yafai’s WBC and WBA flyweight unification championship challenge against Ricardo Sandoval.”

Smith had just signed what was described as a “long-term extension” to their promotional agreement.

“Matchroom backed me from day one,” he then said. “They allowed me to build at the right pace, to collect titles, to become a regular headliner in Sheffield and to focus on achieving my dream of becoming WBC champion.

“I’m happy, I’m continuing to improve in the ring, and I know I’ve got the best team around me. There’s a lot of talk about loyalty these days, but my head hasn’t been turned. I’m delighted to commit my future to this winning team as we chase more success together.

“With Frank [Smith, Matchroom’s chief executive], Eddie [Hearn] and the wider Matchroom team, my advisor Sean O’Toole, and my whole training team led by my dad [Grant], we’ve got something special. This is the team that will take me to that next level.

“I will show everyone that I am the best 140lbs boxer in the world by collecting every belt in the division, and of course box at Hillsborough [in Sheffield] along the way. First up is to deal with my WBC mandatory, Alberto Puello.”