Chris Billam-Smith, one of the top cruiserweights in the world, has explained his decision to turn down a fight with IBF champion Jai Opetaia. Billam-Smith, who is currently preparing for a possible November fight against WBA belt-holder Gilberto Ramirez, made it clear that he still sees a future clash with Opetaia, but the timing just wasn’t right.
Speaking on Sky Sports' "Toe 2 Toe", Billam-Smith acknowledged that a fight between himself and Opetaia is highly anticipated, but explained that he wasn’t ready to commit when the offer came in. At the time, Billam-Smith was in the middle of a three-week holiday in the U.S., and by the time he would have returned to full training, he felt there wasn’t enough time to prepare for a fight against Opetaia.
While Billam-Smith respects Opetaia, he expressed some skepticism about the Australian fighter’s current hype. He pointed out that Opetaia’s most notable victory came against Mairis Briedis, a former champion who, in Billam-Smith’s view, wasn’t at his peak during their fight. Billam-Smith believes that Opetaia is a talented fighter but isn’t entirely convinced he’s faced the same level of competition that would solidify his standing as the top cruiserweight.
Despite turning down the fight for now, Billam-Smith remains determined to face Opetaia when the time is right. He knows he’ll need to be at his absolute best to defeat the undefeated 29-year-old, who boasts a perfect 25-0 record with 19 knockouts. For Billam-Smith, who is currently 20-1 with 13 knockouts, the matchup is still on the horizon, and he wants to ensure that when it happens, he’s fully prepared.
In the meantime, Billam-Smith is focused on unifying titles and adding more belts to his collection. After his victory over Richard Riakporhe in June, he’s been clear that his next move will involve a unification bout, whether it’s against Ramirez or Opetaia early next year.
Read more about Chris Billam-Smith's challenging career here.
Image Credit: Sky Sports