Dalton Smith is on the cusp of greatness

He moved up a notch after Alberto Puello, from the Dominican Republic, successfully defended his super lightweight belt against Spaniard Sandor Martin in New York at the beginning of this month.

Martin lost a split decision vote and dropped down the pecking order allowing Sheffield's Smith to occupy the number one berth instead.

These are heady times for the Handsworth man.

Yet it could all go wrong if the 28-year-old slips up against Mathieu Germain at Sheffield's Park Community Arena on April 19.

The scrap with Germain, 35, from Quebec, Canada is of monumental importance if Steel City's Smith is to realise his life-long dream and get the chance to take on the reigning world champion.

The Sheffielder may well be the bookies' outright favourite on the Matchroom bill, but he knows he can take nothing for granted.

Over in Barnsley, Callum Simpson's name is being touted as the next opponent for Hamzah Sheeraz.

In February, Sheeraz drew with Carlos Adames in a WBC middleweight world title bout.

He could now move up a division and Ben Shalom, who promotes Simpson, thinks he should look to box the British super-middleweight champion.

"I'm hearing, that he's moving up and I'm saying if he is, then that should be the fight to make. It's a fight that I believe the fans want to see," Shalom told Sky Sports.

For me: the two biggest names now in Britain in the super-middleweight division. Hamzah I think won't have been pleased with his last performance, probably isn't quite at that level yet."

"Let's find out who the best in Britain is in a huge, huge showdown. I think in that fight Hamzah will believe that he can beat Callum Simpson. He's supposed to be the next big thing, the shining star. Come and prove it and beat the best in Britain, which is Callum Simpson."

Meanwhile, a former WBC world champion from Sheffield, Naseem Hamed, has gone public with his views on what would happen if Daniel Dubois secures a rematch against all-conquering Oleksandr Usyk.

Londoner Dubois's stock is high after stopping Anthony Joshua in five rounds in September.

Speaking to The Stomping Ground channel he said: “In my eyes, for me, he’s the only one, ‘Triple D’ is the only one who has ever hurt Usuk and put him down on the floor (shot was ruled a low blow in their 2023 match-up) and made him think. He was down there for like three or four minutes.

“So who’s to say once he fights Usyk again he won’t go out there and absolutely destroy him and bring the belts back to our country like it is supposed to be?”