Chris Billam-Smith targeting Gilberto Ramirez and Jai Opetaia for his next two fights

THE career of Chris Billam-Smith is now reaching a stage of โ€œmaking memoriesโ€ according to the WBO cruiserweight champion.

On Saturday night the 33-year-old retained his title to level the score at 1-1 in his rivalry with Richard Riakporhe five years on from their original encounter.

Billam-Smithโ€™s second defence was another big-time event outdoors at Selhurst Park the home of Riakporheโ€™s favourite football team Crystal Palace. The champion upset the odds though delivering a tactically astute performance against his heavy handed challenger.

With nearly seven years as a professional fighter under his belt in a career where there have been a share of tough and demanding fights Billam-Smith wants even bigger nights to look back on.

โ€œFor me now itโ€™s about making memories and looking back on a career which I really enjoyed,โ€ he told Boxing News yesterday (June 16).

โ€œEveryone wants to fight in America and my next few fights, if I had a magic wand, would be โ€œZurdoโ€ [Ramirez] in America and [Jai] Opetaia wherever. Thatโ€™d be amazing. Zurdo is by no means an easy fight. A very talented fighter. Only lost to [Dmitry] Bivol. Had a great win against [Arsen Goulamirian] but heโ€™s obviously Stateside.

โ€œWhen youโ€™re a kid you want to fight in your teamโ€™s football stadium and then you get to do that and then someone elseโ€™s football stadium. And where do you go from there? Dream big dreams as I learned from the film โ€˜Singโ€™. Thatโ€™s it for me. I just want to make memories. A fight over there and then Opetaia would be fantastic.โ€

As things stand elsewhere in the cruiserweight division Gilberto Ramirez holds the WBA title, Opetaia is the IBF champion and Noel Mikaelian has the WBC belt.

 

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