Josh Warrington to make surprise return to ring as Dalton Smith closes in on world title shot

Warrington openly spoke of retiring following his unanimous points decision defeat to Anthony Cacace on his step up to the super featherweight division in London last September.

“Do I end the journey here now or do I come away and carry on?,” he pondered in the immediate aftermath, but after months of consideration the well-backed Leeds Warrior is making an understated, but welcome, return to the ring just down the road from his usual stomping crowd.

The 34-year-old will fight an as-yet unnamed opponent at the Canon Medical Arena in Sheffield on Saturday, April 19.

It is a long way from the big nights at Elland Road, but might be the perfect place to start rebuilding his career after three straight defeats.

Top-of-the-bill honours that night go to undefeated hometown favourite Smith who looks to continue building towards world title fights of his own against Canada’s Mathieu Germain.

Smith, nicknamed ‘Thunder’, is getting back into the ring quickly after claiming the vacant EBU super lightweight with a one-round destruction of Frenchman Walid Ouizza in Nottingham in January.

And the good news keeps coming for Smith, who has a 17-0 record, as he has now been installed as the mandatory challenger to the WBC world title currently owned by the Dominican Republic’s Alberto Puello.

Smith said: "It’s an honour to be headlining again in my home city, and this time at a new venue in the Canon Medical Arena. I’m sure it’ll be a lively atmosphere in there with my fans in full voice.

"I had an excellent start to the year winning the European title in spectacular fashion and now that I’m mandatory challenger for the WBC title I’m looking to keep up my activity.

"Mathieu Germain will be coming to win but I’ll be getting the job done - he’s in the way of some huge nights for me.

“I’m not looking ahead, but there will be one name I’ll be calling out after dealing with Germain. Alberto Puello, where you at?"

That Matchroom card in Sheffield will also feature former Doncaster electrician Josh Padley (15-1) following his recent valiant display against WBC world champion Shakur Stevenson on the Beterbiev vs. Bivol 2 undercard in Saudi Arabia. The 29-year-old Yorkshireman stepped in to face pound-for-pound star Stevenson at just four days' notice and has since quit his day job to fully focus on his boxing career, promising a big performance on his Matchroom debut next month.

Announcing the fights on Friday, Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn said: “Dalton can't afford any slip ups as he waits for his dream world title shot."

Matchroom have also announced that Johnny Fisher and Dave Allen will meet again in a huge heavyweight rematch at London’s Copper Box Arena on Saturday, May 17, following their controversial fight in December.