These days, a prospect is showered with compliments for showboating to a one-sided win over a much smaller, overmatched opponent or put on a pedestal for stopping a veteran journeyman who has worked a 40-hour week.

Some allow the weight of expectation to weigh heavy and crack them. Others start to believe the hype and praise, allow their focus to drift and fall by the wayside before having the chance to fulfill their potential.

As he cut his way through the British junior welterweight ranks, Dalton Smith (19-0, 14 KOs) always had the look of a fighter destined for world level.

Smith endured a long wait before getting the world title fight opportunity but the 29-year-old from Sheffield is a down-to-earth character from a close knit family and stayed the course.

He beat the men put in front of him, continued to improve despite a series of injury setbacks and waited for his moment.

On January 10, Smith traveled to Brooklyn, New York and knocked out Subriel Matias in the fifth round of an exciting shootout to become the WBC junior welterweight champion.

“I remember my dad saying something like, 'If Dalton doesn't win a world title, we've underachieved.' I remember being sat there thinking, 'There’s nothing like putting a bit of pressure on me',” Smith told Matchroom Boxing.

“Of course [the expectation was justified]. If I didn't win a world title, I don't think I'd have ever been satisfied with my boxing career. In a way, the pressure's off. For me, I'm just getting started now. There's a lot more I want to prove to the boxing world.”

Smith will return home to defend his title against WBC mandatory challenger Alberto Puello (25-1, 11 KOs) at Sheffield's Utilita Arena on October 24.

The Dominican southpaw is a clever, effective fighter and a tough out for anybody at 140 pounds. The 32-year-old appeared unfortunate to drop a majority decision to Matias during their WBC title fight in July 2025 and The Ring's No. 3-rated contender will travel to England confident he can become a three-time world champion.

Having come this far, The Ring’s No. 1 ranked fighter at 140 pounds is in no mood to take his eye off the ball.

“It's a tough fight. He’s a two-time world champion,” he said.

“He’s got an awkward style but I do well against southpaws. I mean, you look at Puello's record, he’s got Gary Russell Jr. on there, Matias. I don't feel like his record is any better than mine apart from those couple of names on there. He could not do what I did to Matias.”