Chris Billam-Smith aims to become unified after defeating Richard Riakporhe
Bournemouth boxer Billam-Smith got revenge over his one and only conqueror in front of his partisan fans in his own backyard at Selhurst Park in Crystal Palace, live on Sky Sports.
Now, the 33-year-old trained by Shane McGuigan is looking ahead to what’s next in his remarkable career that continues to go from strength to strength.
CBS dethroned the formidable Olympian Lawrence Okolie in 2023 to become the WBO World cruiserweight champion, then stopped Mateusz Masternak in his maiden defence last December, and now he has righted the only wrong on his record with a UD over Riakporhe away from home.
Naturally, the champ now wants to unify, he told Sky Sports, naming three potential opponents, but picking his No.1 choice from the trio.
“Next is unifications fights, in terms of career, whether that’s [Jai] Opetaia or [Noel] Mikaelian or Zurdo Ramirez, which is kind of my pick of the three, because he fights in America and I really want to fight out there. But, yeah, the unification it’s got to be that next.”
Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez (46-1, 30KO) has bounced back since his defeat to Dmitry Bivol in 2022 with two straight wins, culminating in winning the WBA Super cruiserweight title earlier this year in March.
Although Billam-Smith has picked the Mexican as his top choice, he asserted he is open to fighting any of the three champions, “Any belt, Jai Opetaia has got the IBF, and then Zurdo’s got WBA, and Mikaelan’s got WBC, so that’s what’s next for me.
“That was a mandatory for me the other night, so I got rid of the mandatory, which is always handy, and I want to unify now, so I’m honoured to be involved in those conversations and be champion and now just want to get as many belts as possible.”
Currently, champions Ramirez, Opetaia and Mikaelan are all without fights scheduled.