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. Billam-Smith, a former WBO cruiserweight champion, will now compete live on Sky Sports.
His reign as champion lasted from May 2023 to November 2024, until he lost to Gilberto Ramirez, but he bounced back with a win over Brandon Glanton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Opetaia, also a Zuffa fighter, recently became the inaugural Zuffa world cruiserweight champion after defeating Glanton. Billam-Smith stated that he and Opetaia are two of the biggest names in the cruiserweight division and that a fight between them is likely. He cited his past experiences boxing Richard Riakporhe and Lawrence Okolie under the same promoter as evidence.
Billam-Smith emphasized that his deal with Zuffa includes the opportunity to face top opponents like Opetaia, which will help him prove his status as the world's best boxer. Having not fought in 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 return to the ring in the UK, preferably in his hometown of Bournemouth, where he has achieved significant career milestones, including becoming a world champion in 2023.