Five months after an unforgettable night in New York, the newly-minted junior welterweight champion will make his first title defense against mandatory challenger and former titlist Alberto Puello at Sheffield's Utilita Arena.

Smith (19-0, 14 KOs) returns to familiar surroundings, having scored a fifth-round stoppage of longtime contender Jose Zepeda in March 2024, this time with newfound leverage in a division where his possibilities seem endless.

"New York was a trip of a lifetime, but now it's about bringing big world title fights to Sheffield and it's great to start my reign as champion back at the Utilita Arena," Smith said in a press release. "It's straight into a mandatory defence so you expect world class opponents, no denying Puello's a top boxer, two-time champion for a reason.

"But I went to New York as the away fighter, with all the outside-the-ring stuff going on, and went toe-to-toe with the supposed bogeyman who had just beaten Puello - but that's what we're about in Sheffield: full of heart and nuts of steel."

Puello (24-1, 10 KOs) was promised the next title shot after narrowly losing a 12-round majority decision against Subriel Matias as part of The Ring III card in July, a fight many felt he did enough to retain his title in.