JAI OPETAIA is reportedly in talks to face Chris Billam-Smith towards the end of this year, while having offered his IBF mandatory challenger, Huseyin Cinkara, a sum of $100,000 in step-aside money.
The 30-year-old had, quite emphatically, expressed his eagerness to face Gilberto Ramirez in a unification showdown, only for the WBO and WBA cruiserweight champion to reveal that he is nursing an injury.
As a result, it seemed that Opetaia, 28-0 (22 KOs), was set to defend his IBF world title against Cinkara – most likely headlining a card on Australian soil – in a far less enticing matchup.
But while a purse bid for that fight is scheduled to take place later today, it would appear that Team Opetaia has nonetheless pivoted into a vastly different direction.
Instead, a clash between the Australian and former world champion Chris Billam-Smith has seemingly emerged as a possibility, perhaps even for the developing undercard of Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn 2.
Billam-Smith, 21-2 (13 KOs), featured on the first Eubank-Benn bill in April, back when he encountered a comfortably-hard night’s work before outpointing tenacious cruiserweight contender Brandon Glanton.
In doing so, ‘The Gentleman’ got back to winning ways after what proved to be a punishing points defeat, which saw him lose his WBO title against Ramirez, last November.
But since his unanimous decision victory over Glanton, number-one ranked contender Billam-Smith has been ordered to enter a WBO final eliminator against Germany’s Roman Fress.
The 35-year-old, however, could now be presented with a beeline back towards world honours, with Opetaia’s manager, Mick Francis, confirming his interest in a potential showdown with the Bournemouth man.
“We have had discussions about Chris Billam-Smit,” Francis told Fox Sports. “It would potentially be on the [Eubank-Benn] card [on November 15].
“Right now, while waiting for [Ramirez], Jai wants the biggest fights he can get in the division.”
Should their fight get over the line, then Billam-Smith will likely secure a home advantage – not football-wise, of course – at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London.
But if not, then the pair may well go their separate ways, with Opetaia taking on Cinkara and Billam-Smith bidding to land himself a WBO mandatory position.
