Billam-Smith Sets Sights on Opetaia After Joining Zuffa Boxing

Following his signing with Zuffa Boxing, Chris Billam-Smith has expressed his intention to face Jai Opetaia, aiming to solidify his position as the best in the world. Billam-Smith, a former WBO cruiserweight champion, is now set to compete live on Sky Sports. His journey to the top includes a stint as the WBO cruiserweight world titleholder from May 2023 to November 2024, during which he lost to Gilberto Ramirez but later bounced back with a win over Brandon Glanton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Opetaia, also a Zuffa fighter, recently became the inaugural Zuffa world cruiserweight champion with a unanimous decision victory over Glanton. Billam-Smith emphasized that being under the same promoter as Opetaia increases the likelihood of a matchup between them, citing his past experiences fighting Richard Riakporhe and Lawrence Okolie while under the same promoter at Sky. He stated, 'That's part of this deal, and part of the reason I signed with Zuffa. There's lots of reasons, but it is definitely very high up that list.' Billam-Smith, who has a multi-fight deal with Zuffa, has been inactive for over a year since his unanimous decision win over Glanton in April. Despite this, he has been in a training camp since January and is looking to announce his next fight soon. Billam-Smith expressed his desire to return to the ring, preferably in the UK, and to have the opportunity to compete in his hometown of Bournemouth, where he has achieved some of his most notable career highlights, including becoming a world champion in 2023.