Billam-Smith Sets Sights on Opetaia After Inking Deal with Zuffa

Following his signing with Zuffa Boxing, Chris Billam-Smith has expressed his desire to face Jai Opetaia in a bid to solidify his position as the world's best, with his fights now set to air live on Sky Sports. Billam-Smith previously held the WBO cruiserweight world title from May 2023 to November 2024, losing it to Gilberto Ramirez, but 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 with a unanimous decision victory over Glanton. "As two of the biggest names in the cruiserweight division and both being signed under the same promoter, it's inevitable that we'll face each other," Billam-Smith stated in an interview with Sky Sports News. He emphasized that this potential matchup was a significant factor in his decision to sign with Zuffa, saying, "Zuffa will help me prove to everyone why I'm the best in the world by beating the best, and that includes Jai Opetaia, who many consider to be the best in the world." Billam-Smith, who has a multi-fight deal with Zuffa, has been out of the ring for over a year since his unanimous decision win over Glanton in April last year. Despite the layoff, he has been in a training camp since January and is looking to announce his next fight soon, expressing his hope to have the bout in the UK and potentially in his hometown of Bournemouth, where some of his most notable career victories have taken place.