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. Billam-Smith, a former WBO cruiserweight world champion, will now compete live on Sky Sports. His reign as champion was from May 2023 to November 2024, until he lost 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 are two of the biggest names in the cruiserweight division and are signed under the same promoter." He added that this factor played a significant role in his decision to join Zuffa, as it would facilitate high-profile matches, including a potential bout against Opetaia. Billam-Smith believes that Zuffa will provide him with the platform to prove his superiority by defeating top opponents.
Having been out of the ring for over a year, Billam-Smith has been in a training camp since January and is eager to announce his next fight soon. He hopes to compete in the UK, preferably in his hometown of Bournemouth, where he has enjoyed some of his most notable career successes, including becoming a world champion in 2023 by defeating Lawrence Okolie.