CANON MEDICAL ARENA, SHEFFIELD -- Dalton Smith insisted he wasn't overlooking Canada's Mathieu Germain in this keep-busy opportunity as the WBC's No. 1-ranked junior-welterweight contender. The result? An end to his three-fight stoppage streak, but a trio of knockdowns for Smith (18-0, 13 KOs) against Germain (26-3-1, 11 KOs).

117-107, 119-105 x 2 were the scorecards as Sheffield's own remained victorious, albeit without the highlight reel finish everyone anticipated after a second-round knockdown - the first of many occasions where the Canadian was on the canvas.

This 12-round junior-welterweight contest headlined Matchroom's seven-fight bill, the final four fights streamed live on DAZN, billed as Smith's fight before a long-awaited world title shot.

Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn watched Smith's last display, all three minutes of it, from sunny Las Vegas and raved about the 28-year-old after blasting beyond Walid Ouizza to some of his US-based stable during their January 25 doubleheader show.

Newly-minted WBC titleholder Alberto Puello (24-0, 10 KOs) will be afforded a voluntary title shot before being mandated to box the 28-year-old, who again headlined in Sheffield - albeit in very different circumstances than his triumphant stoppage against Jose Zepeda 13 months earlier.

Ouizza allowed him to get into rhythm and Germain couldn't make that same mistake, easier said than done against a faster and powerful operator, though he was soon being ticked off by referee Victor Loughlin for grabbing hold of Smith's leg.

Germain's searching jab was overextended and allowed Smith the space to counter with stinging right hands, something the Canadian needed to avoid. He couldn't, though, Smith pressing forward against a moving target not firing to deter his attacks.

A left hand crumpled him to the canvas and fortunately, he heard the bell sound to end round two after beating the referee's count.

Germain looked snake-bitten every time he was hit clean by a right hand, and Smith landed flush with an uppercut midway through the third as his Canadian opponent was keen to evade.

"Don't give him that!" bellowed Dalton's father and trainer Grant Smith in the corner, aware his son was perhaps a touch complacent defensively how easily he landed.

He finished the round with a pair of spiteful two-punch combinations, Germain's face changing colour and the ringside doctor observing closely in the corner.

Germain couldn't move fast enough away from danger and up against the ropes, was twice hurt in the fifth, though Smith found himself warned for a second time after straying low to the body.

A glancing left was among Smith's best work in the sixth, Germain freezing on the spot every time he was hit, only to revert back to his moving patterns after.

Germain's flurries were either smothered or meeting air, Smith content to bide time and not rush, Loughlin ticking him off early in the eighth as Germain gathered his bearings, being punched and falling out of the ring after being told to break.

The ninth and tenth featured more damage limitation for the Canadian, though Smith's inability to cut the ring off was alarming. Every time he had the 35-year-old hurt, Germain would find a way to sidestep imminent danger - like the penultimate round, where Smith floored him with a one-two combination.

Annoyed by getting caught flush, he reverted to type and frustrated Smith with more movement on the outside. Loughlin couldn't help crack a smile as Smith connected on an illegal shot after the bell, but there would be another - and a point deduction after Dalton dug down low in the final frame.