Following his signing with Zuffa Boxing, Chris Billam-Smith has expressed his desire to face Jai Opetaia, aiming to prove himself as the best in the world. Billam-Smith, a former WBO cruiserweight world champion, held the title from May 2023 to November 2024 before losing it to Gilberto Ramirez. He then 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 is eager to face Opetaia, citing their shared promoter and his goal of proving himself as the best by beating the best.
With a multi-fight deal with Zuffa, Billam-Smith is looking to get back in the ring after over a year, having been in a training camp since January, and is working towards a fight announcement soon.