Billam-Smith Sets Sights on Opetaia After Joining Zuffa

Following his signing with Zuffa Boxing, Chris Billam-Smith has expressed his desire to face Jai Opetaia, aiming to prove his status as the world's best. Billam-Smith, who previously held the WBO cruiserweight title from May 2023 to November 2024, recently rebounded from a loss to Gilberto Ramirez with a win over Brandon Glanton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Opetaia, also a Zuffa fighter, became the inaugural Zuffa world cruiserweight champion last month after defeating Glanton via unanimous decision. Billam-Smith believes that a matchup between the two is inevitable, given their shared promoter and status as top names in the cruiserweight division. Billam-Smith stated, "We're two of the biggest names in the cruiserweight division, and we're both signed under the same promoter... That's part of this deal, and part of the reason I signed with Zuffa." He emphasized his goal of proving himself as the world's best by beating top opponents like Opetaia, who is widely regarded as one of the best in the world. Billam-Smith has been in a training camp since January and is looking to announce his next fight soon, with the hope of competing in the UK and potentially in his hometown of Bournemouth.