Eddie Hearn has outlined the plan for Dalton’s Smith pursuit of the WBC junior-welterweight title – starting with victory on Saturday over Canada’s Mathieu Germain.

The 28-year-old Smith is the mandatory challenger to the title held by the Dominican Alberto Puello, who since the announcement of Smith-Germain is still to finalize a voluntary title defense.

Should, as expected, Smith defeat the 35-year-old Germain, Matchroom hope to deliver for him, in the autumn in his home city of Sheffield, a fight with either Puello or his next opponent. 

Saturday’s fight is at Sheffield’s Park Community Arena. In victory in January over Walid Ouizza of France, Smith perhaps demonstrated that he is reaching his physical peak; he has also been spoken of as a potential future opponent for his fellow Briton Jack Catterall, but Hearn told BoxingScene: “Puello, who is the new champion, now has one fight – a voluntary – that he’s allowed. Then he has to fight Dalton Smith. So we need to fight and want to fight, and we had to pick someone from the rankings that we thought would give him a good fight; a tough fight. 

“I think Germain will do that. He hasn’t lost for five years; he’s tough, but really it’s a bit of a waiting game, if I’m honest. You gotta go out there; make a statement; raise your profile, and get ready for that world-title shot. Puello, I think, has 90 days now to do a voluntary. We’re fighting April; he might have to fight in May or June. 

“Then September, October – something like that [is when we want Smith to fight again]. If it has to be November it doesn’t really matter. We’ll do everything we can to bring that fight to Sheffield, but I don’t have a problem with it being in Saudi [Arabia] or being in America or whatever. I believe he beats Puello.”