How world champion Smith can become a mainstream star

In his BBC Sport column, Tony Bellew explains why Dalton Smith could be British boxing's next superstar – and why he should fight Adam Azim at Hillsborough. Briton Dalton Smith defends his WBC light-welterweight title against Dominican Republic's Alberto Puello on Saturday after stunning Subriel Matias in January. Former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew explains why an Adam Azim fight at Hillsborough could make Smith a household name. Dalton Smith has everything it takes to become British boxing's next superstar. He's one of the best fighters in this country, pound-for-pound, and I'd even go as far as saying he's a better boxer than I ever was. But there's a difference between being a brilliant fighter and becoming a household name.

I know that from my own career. My old mate David Haye was the fighter who took my popularity to another level entirely. The whole country thought I was going to get knocked out, but the British public love an underdog story and when I woke up the morning after beating Haye for the first time, my profile had exploded. Suddenly, grandmothers were stopping me in the street telling me they wanted me to punch his head in. Everybody had an opinion. Dalton needs his own Haye – that rival who takes him from being known among boxing fans to