Chris Billam-Smith could land WBC cruiserweight title fight after Gilberto Ramirez defeat
“The Gentleman” Chris Billam-Smith (20-2, 13KO) lost his WBO world championship after a 12-round battle with WBA cruiserweight titleholder Gilberto Ramirez (47-1, 30KO) on Saturday, November 16 in Saudi Arabia.
After losing eight rounds to four on two of the judges’ cards, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman revealed that Britain’s Billam-Smith could still return in an immediate world title fight.
CBS fought with extraordinary bravery but lost his WBO bauble to WBA belt-holder Ramirez in an exciting clash last weekend.
The Briton finished the fight with several injuries including a bad cut over his left eye and damage done to his hand, so will require some rest and recovery.
“I’m sure he will be highly ranked by the WBC,” Mauricio Sulaiman, the president of the WBC, stated.
“We’ll certainly rank him and he has the possibility of fighting for a title.”
Armenian Noel Mikaelian is the current WBC cruiserweight world champion, although his defence against No.1-ranked contender Ryan Rozicki has been persistently postponed.
“The cruiserweight status right now is confusing; Mikaelian has legal procedures against his promoter Don King,” Sulaiman updated.
“That is why we had to support Rozicki. They had a signed contract to fight December 7. It’s all a mess.
“He [Billam-Smith] could go straight to fight the winner,” Sulaiman added. “We have Badou Jack also trying to come back, he was champion in recess.
“There are so many moving pieces that are not known in the day-to-day but we have to be consistent and be within the rules but also try to understand every specific situation which is different.”