Smith defends his WBC 140-pound title against Puello at Utilita Arena in Sheffield, England, on Saturday. Their 12-round bout will headline a Matchroom Boxing card on DAZN (2 p.m. ET/7 p.m. BST).

'Interim' champion Cruz could be next in line for the winner in 2027. Given the contrast in styles, Cruz believes the onus will be on Smith to avoid being lulled into a slow-paced fight.

“I think it will be a good fight, just not an overly entertaining one,” Cruz told The Ring. "We know how Puello is more passive than aggressive. It may be more interesting on Smith’s side.”

Smith (19-0, 14 KOs), The Ring’s No. 1-ranked junior welterweight, won the WBC 140-pound title with a fifth-round stoppage of Subriel Matias on January 10 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The 29-year-old from Sheffield, England, was scheduled to face Puello (25-1, 11 KOs), The Ring’s No. 3-ranked junior welterweight, on June 6, but an elbow injury forced him to withdraw.

Puello, a two-time world champion at 140 pounds, took a stay-busy bout after Smith’s withdrawal and stopped Miguel Angel Bolano in the fourth round on June 18 in the Dominican Republic. The 32-year-old southpaw from San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic, previously held the WBC 140-pound title but lost it by majority decision to Matias at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York, in June 2025.

Cruz (29-3-2, 19 KOs) won the interim WBC 140-pound title with a unanimous decision over Omar Salcido Gamez in June 2025. After retaining the title via a majority draw against Lamont Roach Jr. on December 6, the 28-year-old pressure fighter from Mexico City scored a sixth-round knockout of Nestor Bravo in his last fight on September 19 at Pechanga Arena in San Diego.

Cruz noted he’d love to face the winner of Smith vs. Puello in his next fight, though he also believes he isn’t short on options given the amount of quality fighters at junior welterweight

“It’s a stacked division,” Cruz said.

“Just look at the champions. You have Shakur Stevenson, who took [the titles] away from Teofimo Lopez. You have Gary Antuanne Russell. You also have Dalton Smith on the WBC side – that’s outstanding too. Bring on any of the four champions, and I’m more than happy to face any of them.”