Billam-Smith Sets Sights on Opetaia After Joining Zuffa Boxing

Following his signing with Zuffa Boxing, Chris Billam-Smith has expressed his desire to face Jai Opetaia, aiming to solidify his position as the world's best. This move will see him compete 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 he rebounded 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. Billam-Smith stated, 'We're two of the biggest names in the cruiserweight division, both 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 opportunity to face top opponents like Opetaia, saying, 'Zuffa will help me prove to everyone why I'm the best in the world, and that's by beating the best.' Having not fought in over a year since his unanimous decision win over Glanton, Billam-Smith, who has a multi-fight deal with Zuffa, has been in training camp since January and is eager to announce his next fight soon. He expressed his desire to return to the ring, preferably in the UK, and to box in his hometown of Bournemouth, where some of his most notable career highlights have taken place.