Dalton Smith has set a target for a return to action

Good things are suddenly happening again in the life and career of Dalton Smith.

Sheffield's WBC super-lightweight champion expects to be back in the ring in October after injury robbed him of a planned world title defence against Alberto Puello - a contest which had initially been slated for this coming weekend.

Smith today told The Star that his recovery was "going well" and that he intends to take on his Dominican rival in the autumn.

Fans will be hoping an Arena date can be announced soon.

On top of that, the Handsworth fighter is set to receive the first-ever WBC 'Legacy Belt' named in honour of British boxing legend, the late Ricky Hatton.

The newly-created award will be presented to Smith at the 'Evening4Ricky' celebration at Manchester's AO Arena on Sunday, recognising a fighter who embodies the spirit and values that made Hatton one of Britain's most popular champions.

For Smith, it is an honour that carries particular significance.

"Growing up, Ricky Hatton was my hero. Everything about him - the way he fought, the way he carried himself and the connection he had with the fans - he was what made me fall in love with boxing," he says.

"To receive the inaugural Ricky Hatton WBC Legacy Belt, in Manchester and at the AO Arena of all places, honestly means a huge amount to me.

"Ricky inspired a generation of fighters from the North and across Britain, and to be recognised in his name is something I'm incredibly proud of."

The award links two fighters whose careers share several some similarities.

Like Hatton, Smith reached the summit of the super-lightweight division after progressing through the domestic and European ranks. Both built reputations on aggressive, entertaining styles and a willingness to engage rather than coast to victory.

Both became world champions at 140lb and both emerged from boxing strongholds in the north of England.

Hatton remains the benchmark.

The Manchester hero unified world titles at super-lightweight and recorded career-defining victories over Kostya Tszyu and Jose Luis Castillo, becoming one of the most successful and best-supported British fighters of all time.

Smith's Steel City story is still being written, but his rise to WBC world champion status has already established him among the leading British fighters of his generation.

At 29, he is entering what are traditionally considered a boxer's peak years and has the opportunity to emulate some of the achievements that made Hatton a British sporting icon.

With a return to the ring now on the horizon and a prestigious honour awaiting him in Manchester, Smith has every reason to believe the next chapter of his career could be one of the most rewarding yet.