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 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, "We are two of the most prominent names in the cruiserweight division and are now under the same promoter." He added that his deal with Zuffa will help him prove his status as the world's best by beating the best, with Opetaia being his primary target. Having not fought in over a year, Billam-Smith has been in training since January and is eager to announce his next fight soon, ideally in the UK.