Puello is a two-time world champion who put up a great fight this past weekend against Smith, who was defending his WBC light-welterweight title at home in the Sheffield Arena for the first time since winning the belt from Subriel Matías with a fifth round KO back in January.

It was an absorbing back-and-forth fight that Smith won by split decision on the cards, with England’s Kieran McCann and Spain’s Jon Llona both scoring it 115-113 to Smith and Filipino judge Ray Danseco giving it 116-112 to Puello.

Speaking to Sun Boxing, British rival Adam Azim claimed the wrong man had his hand raised come the final bell.

“It was definitely a very close fight. Both fighters are world class level. Puello ain’t no joke of a fighter, so I give credit to Dalton for taking a fight like that after a brutal fight with Matias, but like I said, I still think Puello won that fight.

“I think he nicked it by two rounds. I wouldn’t say it was a great performance, it was an OK performance, but I give it to Dalton that he stood up and faced Puello, who is a really tough operator so I’ll give him that.”

Fellow light welterweight Azim has been out of the ring since May when he beat Steve Claggett in his only fight of the year so far. The pair were on a collision course but after the fight Smith instead said his next aim was to prove himself the best in the division and hunt down unification fights with the likes of WBO ruler Shakur Stevenson or WBA champion Gary Russell.