Following his recent signing with Zuffa Boxing, Chris Billam-Smith has expressed his intention to face Jai Opetaia, aiming to solidify his position as the world's best. This move comes after Billam-Smith's stint as the WBO cruiserweight world titleholder from May 2023 to November 2024, which ended with a loss to Gilberto Ramirez. He then secured a win over Brandon Glanton at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Opetaia, also a Zuffa fighter, recently became the inaugural Zuffa world cruiserweight champion with a unanimous decision victory over Glanton. Billam-Smith emphasized that both being under the same promoter increases the likelihood of the matchup.
He noted that his deal with Zuffa is partly driven by the opportunity to fight top names like Opetaia, who is widely regarded as one of the best in the world. Billam-Smith, with a multi-fight deal, has been in training since January after over a year out of the ring and is looking to announce his next fight soon, expressing a desire to fight in the UK, particularly in his hometown of Bournemouth.