Following his signing with Zuffa Boxing, Chris Billam-Smith is now focused on securing a bout with Jai Opetaia to solidify his position as the world's best, with his fights set to air live on Sky Sports. Billam-Smith previously held the WBO cruiserweight world title from May 2023 to November 2024, before losing it to Gilberto Ramirez, but he bounced back with a win over Brandon Glanton at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last year.
Opetaia, also a Zuffa fighter, recently became the inaugural Zuffa world cruiserweight champion after defeating Glanton via unanimous decision. "As two of the cruiserweight division's biggest names and now under the same promoter, a fight between us is inevitable," Billam-Smith stated in an interview with Sky Sports News. "My signing with Zuffa is motivated by several factors, but the opportunity to face top opponents like Opetaia is high on the list. Zuffa will provide me with the platform to prove my status as the world's best by taking on the toughest challengers." Billam-Smith, who has a multi-fight deal with Zuffa, has been out of the ring for over a year since his unanimous decision victory over Glanton in April.
Despite the layoff, he has been in training camp since January and is eager to announce his next fight soon. "I'm ready to return to the ring after a year's absence and am working towards securing a fight announcement soon. Ideally, I'd love to have a fight in the UK, possibly even in my hometown of Bournemouth, where I've had some of my most notable career moments, including becoming a world champion in 2023 by defeating Lawrence Okolie."