According to the WBO cruiserweight champion, Chris Billam-Smith’s career is now entering a phase where he is starting to create lasting memories.
Five years after their initial meeting, the 33-year-old successfully defended his title on Saturday night, bringing the score in his rivalry with Richard Riakporhe to a tie of 1-1.
The second defence of Billam-Smith took place at Selhurst Park, the beloved football stadium of Riakporhe’s favorite team Crystal Palace. Despite being the underdog, the champion exhibited a strategically brilliant performance against his powerful opponent.
Billam-Smith, having amassed nearly seven years of experience as a professional fighter, has encountered his fair share of challenging and rigorous bouts throughout his career. However, he aspires to create even more remarkable and memorable moments in the future.
“For me now it’s about making memories and looking back on a career which I really enjoyed,” he told Boxing News yesterday (June 16).
If I had the power to make it happen, I would love to have my next few fights against “Zurdo” Ramirez in America and Jai Opetaia anywhere. It would be an incredible opportunity. I acknowledge that fighting Zurdo would not be an easy task, as he is a highly skilled fighter who only lost to Dmitry Bivol. He had a notable victory against Arsen Goulamirian, although Goulamirian is currently based in the United States.
As a child, it’s natural to have a strong desire to play in your favorite football stadium with your team. And if you’re lucky, you might even get the opportunity to play in another team’s stadium. But what comes next? Well, I believe in dreaming big, just like I learned from watching the movie ‘Sing’. For me, all I want is to create unforgettable memories. It would be absolutely amazing to have a chance to compete over there, and it would be even more incredible if I could share that experience with Opetaia.
Gilberto Ramirez currently holds the WBA title in the cruiserweight division, while Opetaia is the reigning IBF champion and Noel Mikaelian is in possession of the WBC belt.
