Chris Billam-Smith will return to boxing rejuvenated and looking to “make a statement against the biggest names”.
Those ambitions include boxing Jai Opetaia, widely regarded as the best fighter in the cruiserweight division.
Billam-Smith and Opetaia have been linked to a possible fight against each other before, when they both held world titles in 2024. Australia’s Opetaia has criticised the Briton for not fighting him back then.
But Billam-Smith told Sky Sports: “We did try. I did say I’d be ready to go in November [of that year]. He wanted me to fight six weeks after [a holiday]. I respect him enough to know I need a full camp against him.
“I said give me an extra month and I’ll be ready, he said no. He boxed in October, I boxed ‘Zurdo’ [Gilberto Ramirez] in November.”
After beating Brandon Glanton, who recently went the distance with Opetaia, Billam-Smith has been out of action for a year.
“I’m very motivated, very driven now, very excited about the next phase of my career. It feels like this break that has happened, rather than I’ve taken, the one that’s happened has been really good for me,” Billam-Smith said.
“I feel in a really good place, probably the best place I’ve felt for many, many years, probably pre-Lawrence Okolie fight. I think mentally, where I’m at in life. But also physically as well. I feel like I’m in a really good position so I’m excited to get back in the ring.”
Opetaia is a future target for him.
“I want the best fights out there. The ones that are going to get me up for making a statement and you can only make a statement against the biggest names, like Opetaia, ‘Zurdo,’ [David] Benavidez,” he said.
“They’re the fights we’re going to be looking to have in the next one to two years. First need to get back out and get some rounds under my belt and see where we’re at, but it’s exciting times.”
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Highlights from Gilberto Ramirez’s clash with Billam-Smith for the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles
Billam-Smith was speaking to Sky Sports at an event to support Boys’ Impact’s campaign to encourage reading among boys and young men.
“Reading’s been a big part of my life,” Billam-Smith said. “For me reading to my toddler is one of my favourite things to do. It helps educate him, and me half the time as well, on dinosaurs and all things like that. But his speech has developed because of it. And then it helps create this wonder, this imagination, this creativity which is one of the most magical things you can see.
“I think that is what fiction books can do for boys and young men and people in general and the self-help books for me is huge. I’ve used it for my career.”
Watch the Dubois-Harper and Scotney-Flores bill live on Sky Sports on Sunday April 5.