Chris Billam-Smith: Former cruiserweight world champion targets future fight with Jai Opetaia after signing with Zuffa Boxing
Chris Billam-Smith wants to fight Jai Opetaia in the future and is confident the bout will take place after he signed with Zuffa Boxing on Monday; watch Alycia Baumgardner vs Bo Mi Re Shin this Saturday from 3am at Madison Square Garden, live on Sky Sports
Monday 13 April 2026 15:49, UK
Chris Billam-Smith is targeting a fight with Jai Opetaia to prove he is "the best in the world" after signing with Zuffa Boxing and will now fight live on Sky Sports.
Billam-Smith held the WBO cruiserweight world title between May 2023 and November 2024, losing it to Gilberto Ramirez but rebounded with a victory over Zuffa stablemate Brandon Glanton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London last year.
Opetaia is also a Zuffa fighter and became the inaugural Zuffa world cruiserweight champion last month with a unanimous decision win over Glanton.
- Edgar Berlanga and Richardson Hitchins sign with Zuffa Boxing
- White aims to reshape boxing - Q&A on Zuffa, Sky Sports and the future
- Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW
"We're two of the biggest names in the cruiserweight division. We're both signed under the same promoter," Billam-Smith told Sky Sports News.
"Under the same promoter at Sky before, I boxed Richard Riakporhe and Lawrence Okolie. They were the biggest names back then, so that's definitely going to happen.
"That's part of this deal, and part of the reason I signed with Zuffa. There's lots of reasons, but it is definitely very high up that list."
He added: "Zuffa will help me prove to everyone else why I'm the best in the world, and that's by beating the best. Everyone has spoken about Jai Opetaia being the best in the world, and he signed with Zuffa. I've signed with promoters to chase certain fights and that's what I'll be chasing."
Billam-Smith: I want to fight at home in Bournemouth again
Billam-Smith, who has a multi-fight deal with Zuffa, has not fought for over a year since defeating Glanton by unanimous decision last April.
Some of the 35-year-old's biggest career highlights have come in his hometown of Bournemouth, including becoming a world champion in 2023 with victory over Lawrence Okolie.
Despite being out of the ring for more than 12 months, Billam-Smith says he has been in a training camp since January and will look to get a fight announcement "out soon".
"I want to get back out. I've been out for a year now, so I want to get back in the ring. We're trying to get that in the UK eventually as well," he said.
"I'd love to box back home, back in Bournemouth. It's been nearly three years since that as well. It's about getting back out, then getting the getting the big fights."
Watch Alycia Baumgardner vs Bo Mi Re Shin live on Sky Sports in the early hours of Saturday morning from 3am at Madison Square Garden. Not got Sky? Stream boxing and more with no contract
