Following his signing with Zuffa Boxing, Chris Billam-Smith has expressed his desire to face Jai Opetaia, aiming to demonstrate his status as the world's best. This move will also 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 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. Billam-Smith stated, 'We are two of the biggest names in the cruiserweight division and are signed under the same promoter.' He drew parallels with his past experiences, saying, 'I have boxed Richard Riakporhe and Lawrence Okolie under the same promoter at Sky before; they were the biggest names back then, so that's definitely going to happen.' Billam-Smith emphasized that his deal with Zuffa is partly driven by his desire to prove himself as the best by beating the best, with Opetaia being a key target.
Having signed a multi-fight deal with Zuffa, Billam-Smith has been out of the ring for over a year since his unanimous decision win over Glanton in April last year. Despite this, he has been in a training camp since January and is looking to announce his next fight soon.
Billam-Smith expressed his eagerness to return to the ring, stating, 'I want to get back out; I've been out for a year now.' He also hopes to secure a fight in the UK, preferably in his hometown of Bournemouth, where he has enjoyed some of his most notable career highlights, including becoming a world champion in 2023 by defeating Lawrence Okolie.