Alberto Puello might get a chance to become a two-time world titleholder, but he will have to wait until 2026 for that opportunity.
Puello lost his WBC junior welterweight title Saturday night, losing to Subriel Matias via majority decision on the pay-per-view undercard of Edgar Berlanga-Hamzah Sheeraz.
Matias’ first defense will likely come against the WBC’s mandatory challenger at 140lbs, Dalton Smith. Boxing financier Turki Alalshikh wants to put Matias-Smith on a November 22 card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, headlined by David Benavidez defending his light heavyweight belt against Anthony Yarde and featuring three other world title fights.
Shortly after Puello-Matias, Alalshikh promised Puello a shot at the winner of Matias-Smith, according to Ring Magazine reporter Mike Coppinger, who was working as a commentator on the Berlanga-Sheeraz show.
Puello, now 24-1 (10 KOs), had won the interim WBC title in June 2024 with a split decision over Gary Antuanne Russell. Puello was soon upgraded to the full titleholder when Devin Haney vacated the belt. Puello made one successful defense, a split decision over Sandor Martin this past March.
David Greisman, who has covered boxing since 2004, is on Twitter @FightingWords2. David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is available on Amazon.
