Billam-Smith Sets Sights on Opetaia After Joining Zuffa

Following his recent signing with Zuffa Boxing, Chris Billam-Smith has expressed his desire to face Jai Opetaia, aiming to prove his status as the world's best. This development comes as Billam-Smith prepares to fight live on Sky Sports. Having previously held the WBO cruiserweight world title from May 2023 to November 2024, Billam-Smith suffered a loss to Gilberto Ramirez but bounced back with a win over Brandon Glanton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Opetaia, also a Zuffa fighter, secured the inaugural Zuffa world cruiserweight championship with a unanimous decision victory over Glanton last month. Billam-Smith noted, 'We are two of the most prominent names in the cruiserweight division and are signed under the same promoter.' He drew parallels with his past experiences, saying, 'I've boxed Richard Riakporhe and Lawrence Okolie under the same promoter at Sky before; they were the biggest names back then.' Billam-Smith emphasized that his deal with Zuffa is partly driven by the prospect of facing Opetaia, stating, 'Zuffa will help me demonstrate to everyone why I'm the best in the world, and that's by beating the best.' With a multi-fight deal in place, Billam-Smith has been in a training camp since January and is eager to announce his next fight soon, ideally in the UK. He expressed his desire to return to the ring, saying, 'I've been out for a year now, so I want to get back in the ring.' Billam-Smith also hopes to fight in his hometown of Bournemouth, where he has enjoyed significant career highlights, including becoming a world champion in 2023.