Chris Billam-Smith has signaled that a bout with Australian cruiserweight star Jai Opetaia could be on the cards for 2027, provided both fighters emerge victorious from their upcoming matches. The former world champion has long set his sights on Opetaia, who is widely regarded as the premier cruiserweight in the division at present. Opetaia is scheduled to face Noel Mikaelian on the undercard of the high‑profile showdown between Conor Benn and Ryan Garcia in Las Vegas on September 12.
Billam-Smith, meanwhile, expects to return to the ring before the year ends, after which he intends to resume his pursuit of a fight with Opetaia. In his view, the showdown is likely to materialise in 2027. When asked by Sky Sports about his future plans, Billam-Smith explained, "I think so.
I think I need to get through my next fight and then I'll fight the winner of that, whoever that might be." He added that while Mikaelian is a respectable opponent, he believes Opetaia has the edge: "Mikaelian on his day is a good fighter but I pick Jai to beat him." Billam-Smith also commented on Mikaelian's recent form, noting that the Georgian‑born contender may be past his peak: "But it might take him a few rounds to set the pace and obviously Mikaelian's got some good names on his record, has some good performances but I feel like he's slowed down a little bit and gone a little bit past it now." Regarding his own comeback, Billam-Smith hinted at a November return, possibly in London or Bournemouth, though he did not name an opponent yet. "Looking most probably around November time.
I think it will be London or Bournemouth. Don't know who yet," he said, adding that the heavyweight landscape is busy with other champions also planning fights, such as David Benavidez, who is reportedly eyeing a December bout in Las Vegas. The British fighter also praised the performance of Cheavon Clarke, who knocked out Jack Massey on the undercard of Billam-Smith's own clash with Ryan Rozicki. "Obviously Chev won on my undercard.
He's got two amateur wins over me so from a competitor's point of view I'd very much like to get one back," Billam-Smith told Sky Sports during a screening of the new boxing drama "Fightland." He further noted that the Clarke‑Massey encounter was a strong candidate for "fight of the night" until his own bout took centre stage. Both Clarke and Massey have a history with Billam‑Smith from their amateur days, having defeated him in elite championship finals.
This fuels Billam‑Smith's desire for redemption. "I owe him one and I feel like that does the Jack Massey one in the ABA final as well. Both of those have beaten me in an ABA final.
That would put that to bed so that would be nice," he explained. He remained open to future match‑ups, acknowledging the fluid nature of boxing contracts: "I'm up for whoever. Zuffa are signing people all the time so you just don't know who's going to pop up out the woodwork and get offered.
So we will see on that front." Billam‑Smith's recent record includes a loss of his WBO title to Gilberto Ramirez in 2024, followed by a victory over Brandon Glanton in his sole fight of the previous year. His June showdown with Rozicki demonstrated that, at 36, he can still compete at a high level.
Reflecting on that fight, he said, "I think if I'd taken my foot off the gas and was just sort of coasting I would definitely have been beat that night. I think that's the important thing to take away from my point of view." He emphasized the need for constant improvement: "I had to be switched on and pushing the training as I do and looking for different ways to improve. I'm on it. And I'm still getting better." Looking ahead, Billam‑Smith remains focused on staying active, sharpening his skills, and positioning himself for a future clash with Opetaia.
He believes that a win over the opponent who defeats Mikaelian will keep his path clear toward the coveted 2027 showdown. In the meantime, fans can follow his progress through Sky Sports, the NOW streaming platform, and the weekly Toe2Toe podcast, which provides in‑depth analysis and highlights of the sport. The upcoming "Fightland" series, set to debut on Sky and NOW on August 27, will offer additional insight into Billam‑Smith's career trajectory and the broader boxing landscape, further building anticipation for the potential Billam‑Smith versus Opetaia encounter that many observers expect to define the cruiserweight division in the coming years.