Jai Opetaia vs. Chris Billam-Smith - Who wins?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Jai Opetaia vs. Chris Billam-Smith in Discussions

According to promoter Ben Shalom of BOXXER, there are ongoing negotiations to get Chris Billam-Smith a world title opportunity against newly crowned IBF champion Jai Opetaia.

Billam-Smith, ranked at number three by the IBF, is coming off an action-packed win over Isaac Chamberlain.

The sole defeat on Billam-Smith's record came at the hands of Richard Riakporhe by split decision in July of 2019. He's won seven fights in a row since.

Earlier this year, Opetaia pulled off a big upset win when he secured a twelve round decision over Mairis Briedis to capture the IBF crown.

The performance impressed a lot of observers in the sport. Not only does Shalom want to finalize that fight, he also wants to sign Opetaia to a promotional agreement.

"I do expect that fight to happen. We are in talks with Jai," Shalom said to Sky Sports. "I think he wants to fight in December.

"We'd like to sign him. We think he's a very talented fighter that has been the guy no-one really wanted to fight. But because of the extent of talent in the cruiserweight division, with Richard, with Lawrence, with Chris, with Mikael Lawal who fights Deion Jumah for the British very soon, they all want world titles.

"They all want world title opportunities and Jai wants to come over to the UK and defend his belt over here. I expect to announce Jai in a fight with one of those guys. It's an exciting time for boxing in general. There's so much going on. So many fights everywhere. But what's good is the big fights are now being made. Because I think there's a pressure on all promoters and broadcasters to do it."

[maverick23]

Good fight if it happens. Interesting move with Shalom looking to sign Jai. The IBF doesn’t have a mandatory due so could easily make a voluntary against CBS or Riak.

Since Okolie compared Eddie to a plantation owner things have gone very quiet for him but I’d imagine that Shalom will be talking about a unification when his contract stuff gets sorted.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Good fight if it happens. Interesting move with Shalom looking to sign Jai. The IBF doesn’t have a mandatory due so could easily make a voluntary against CBS or Riak.

Since Okolie compared Eddie to a plantation owner things have gone very quiet for him but I’d imagine that Shalom will be talking about a unification when his contract stuff gets sorted.

Surprised Hearn ain’t tried to sign him.. considering he’s starting to promote down under.

[maverick23]

Good fight if it happens. Interesting move with Shalom looking to sign Jai. The IBF doesn’t have a mandatory due so could easily make a voluntary against CBS or Riak.

Since Okolie compared Eddie to a plantation owner things have gone very quiet for him but I’d imagine that Shalom will be talking about a unification when his contract stuff gets sorted.

Surprised Hearn ain’t tried to sign him.. considering he’s starting to promote down under.

He probably is trying to sign him. Depends what Jai wants - he can make some good money going through the U.K. cruisers and Boxxer have the majority.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Good fight if it happens. Interesting move with Shalom looking to sign Jai. The IBF doesn’t have a mandatory due so could easily make a voluntary against CBS or Riak.

Since Okolie compared Eddie to a plantation owner things have gone very quiet for him but I’d imagine that Shalom will be talking about a unification when his contract stuff gets sorted.

Surprised Hearn ain’t tried to sign him.. considering he’s starting to promote down under.

He probably is trying to sign him. Depends what Jai wants - he can make some good money going through the U.K. cruisers and Boxxer have the majority.

Yeh. The Okolie unification would be good, but we don’t know what’s happening with that..

Plus Okolie is going to end up being a little inactive.

[brilo33]

tricky fight to call. good fight if it gets made jai fight with Briedis was a tough one , i thought i had a draw or briedis didnt he get nasty broken nose early cant remember now

[cormack]

the way Opetaia dealt with Breidis was impressive - CBS probably couldnt handle the speed

[Coco]

the way Opetaia dealt with Breidis was impressive - CBS probably couldnt handle the speed

Depends how Opetaia has dealt with his jaw being broke in 2 places.

It was a career shortening win

[KiwiRider]

Good fight if it happens. Interesting move with Shalom looking to sign Jai. The IBF doesn’t have a mandatory due so could easily make a voluntary against CBS or Riak.

Since Okolie compared Eddie to a plantation owner things have gone very quiet for him but I’d imagine that Shalom will be talking about a unification when his contract stuff gets sorted.

Surprised Hearn ain’t tried to sign him.. considering he’s starting to promote down under.

Maybe that DAZN money isn't coming so thick and fast these days?
The Matchroom stable is the worst it's been in ages, as far as champions goes.
If you were the accountant for DAZN, you might be asking where the money went, and what value are the returns...

[gregregegg]

This is where if your opetaia you should kinda try to do a Kambo (you dont have all the belts so its not as potent but still...).

Invite billam smith, and riachpoor and a few others down to aus... but with a rematch clause. thats also in aus.... double dip at that. Those two have kinda been fornicating about, im sure they would have to be tempted to sign a mediocore deal to get a world title shot.

[margaret thatcher]

cbs looks kinda basic for world level, id think jai would outspeed and outbox him

but ya hopefully the awful jaw break doesnt impact him going forward, that was nasty, probably the worst ive seen in a boxing match

[gregregegg]

cbs looks kinda basic for world level, id think jai would outspeed and outbox him

but ya hopefully the awful jaw break doesnt impact him going forward, that was nasty, probably the worst ive seen in a boxing match

Ben mahoney vs benjamin hussain was the worst i remember. geeze it was a tough watch, especialy considering it was in a IBO Oceania-Orient Middle title... and an 8 rounder. broke it in the 2nd or 3rd i think. just kept rumbling till the 6th round when the dr had to do somthing... looked fuckkkked.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1000950750402636 shows the aftermath.

Was absolute world class toughness. but also world class stupidity considering how little was on the line.

[KiwiRider]

cbs looks kinda basic for world level, id think jai would outspeed and outbox him

but ya hopefully the awful jaw break doesnt impact him going forward, that was nasty, probably the worst ive seen in a boxing match

I agree with that about CBS. The loss to Riakporhe was pretty close on my card. The 10/8 just sealing it.
I do want to see this fight, and think it will be competitive.
You call CBS basic, I call him well drilled on the fundamentals

[cormack]

cbs looks kinda basic for world level, id think jai would outspeed and outbox him

but ya hopefully the awful jaw break doesnt impact him going forward, that was nasty, probably the worst ive seen in a boxing match

I agree with that about CBS. The loss to Riakporhe was pretty close on my card. The 10/8 just sealing it.
I do want to see this fight, and think it will be competitive.
You call CBS basic, I call him well drilled on the fundamentals

he just seems a bit pedestrian sometimes as though he still has a lot to learn .

[KiwiRider]

cbs looks kinda basic for world level, id think jai would outspeed and outbox him

but ya hopefully the awful jaw break doesnt impact him going forward, that was nasty, probably the worst ive seen in a boxing match

I agree with that about CBS. The loss to Riakporhe was pretty close on my card. The 10/8 just sealing it.
I do want to see this fight, and think it will be competitive.
You call CBS basic, I call him well drilled on the fundamentals

he just seems a bit pedestrian sometimes as though he still has a lot to learn .

yes, that's the part I'm not arguing about. There is no pizzazz, no flash. But just a workmanlike persistence. The sort of thing I admired in George Groves.
CBS turns up fit, keen and just goes about it. I am still surprised he has a world title, I always thought he was sort of domestic, maybe Euro level. But then I thought that about Groves and he briefly had a world title after about 4 attempts .

[maverick23]

I agree with that about CBS. The loss to Riakporhe was pretty close on my card. The 10/8 just sealing it.
I do want to see this fight, and think it will be competitive.
You call CBS basic, I call him well drilled on the fundamentals

he just seems a bit pedestrian sometimes as though he still has a lot to learn .

yes, that's the part I'm not arguing about. There is no pizzazz, no flash. But just a workmanlike persistence. The sort of thing I admired in George Groves.
CBS turns up fit, keen and just goes about it. I am still surprised he has a world title, I always thought he was sort of domestic, maybe Euro level. But then I thought that about Groves and he briefly had a world title after about 4 attempts .

CBS doesn’t have a world title bud.

[KiwiRider]

he just seems a bit pedestrian sometimes as though he still has a lot to learn .

yes, that's the part I'm not arguing about. There is no pizzazz, no flash. But just a workmanlike persistence. The sort of thing I admired in George Groves.
CBS turns up fit, keen and just goes about it. I am still surprised he has a world title, I always thought he was sort of domestic, maybe Euro level. But then I thought that about Groves and he briefly had a world title after about 4 attempts .

CBS doesn’t have a world title bud.

ebu and the rainbow one. Im a bit ahead of myself

[maverick23]

yes, that's the part I'm not arguing about. There is no pizzazz, no flash. But just a workmanlike persistence. The sort of thing I admired in George Groves.
CBS turns up fit, keen and just goes about it. I am still surprised he has a world title, I always thought he was sort of domestic, maybe Euro level. But then I thought that about Groves and he briefly had a world title after about 4 attempts .

CBS doesn’t have a world title bud.

ebu and the rainbow one. Im a bit ahead of myself

Yep. He’s achieved more than I thought he would. Most guys who’ve spent a long time with Shane McGuigan tend to do that.

[Stobbo]

I like CBS. As has been said, always fit and prepared. I think he's got a good chance.

[liamlion]

I was speaking to Joe Pigford in Poole at a recent evening with Tyson Fury and he mentioned that Billam-Smith is being lined up for a fight back at the Bournemouth International Centre in December. Hopefully that’s true and it’s for a world title.

[Old bones Ian]

Opetaia was in court recently for being pissed and kicking off outside of a nightclub, Aussie boxers don't have a great record for living the right lifestyle once a few dollars gets in the pocket

[gregregegg]

Opetaia was in court recently for being pissed and kicking off outside of a nightclub, Aussie boxers don't have a great record for living the right lifestyle once a few dollars gets in the pocket

Not really kicked off. He is charged with failing to move more than 50 meters from a venue he has been denied access too. then he got restrained by security and cops and swore at some people... If it Kicked off he would of been chaged with chinning 3 security guards and a few cops....

[Old bones Ian]

Opetaia was in court recently for being pissed and kicking off outside of a nightclub, Aussie boxers don't have a great record for living the right lifestyle once a few dollars gets in the pocket

Not really kicked off. He is charged with failing to move more than 50 meters from a venue he has been denied access too. then he got restrained by security and cops and swore at some people... If it Kicked off he would of been chaged with chinning 3 security guards and a few cops....

Fair enough I've always been held down by security when to drunk to enter a premises and walk away without saying anything

[Ruthless-RKO]

CBS is signing a 1 fight deal with Boxxer/Sky.

Will headline at the Bournemouth International Centre on Dec 10.

Reported that Dan Azeez will defend his British belt.

Preferred opponent is Rocky Fielding..

[Ruthless-RKO]

REPORT: JAI OPETAIA IN TALKS FOR CHRIS BILLAM-SMITH CLASH, WILLING TO PAY IBF MANDATORY STEP-ASIDE

Ring cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia is ready to pay his mandatory challenger step-aside money in order to pursue a winter clash with Chris Billam-Smith, reports in Australia have claimed.

Opetaia looked certain to take on his IBF mandatory Huseyin Cinkara (23-0, 19 KOs) before attempting to secure a unification with WBA and WBO king Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez early next year.

Meanwhile, as reported by The Ring, the WBO have ordered their No. 1 Billam-Smith to fight No. 2 Roman Fress for their interim title with Ramirez currently recovering from surgery on his injured shoulder.

But now Fox Sports Australia have reported that Opetaia and Billam-Smith might just fight each other instead. It was claimed that the arrangement would also involve a six-figure step-aside fee for Cinkara.

The purse bid for Opetaia against Cinkara is scheduled for today [Sept 2] in New Jersey and the champion’s team are expected to win the bid. They would then likely stage the fight in Australia unless a last-minute agreement for a step-aside can be reached.

This news comes just a week after a report from the same outlet claimed Opetaia could be about to face Derek Chisora in his heavyweight debut. The Sydney-born 30-year-old has since insisted he is currently only focused on becoming undisputed at cruiserweight.

But now Opetaia’s manager Mick Francis has confirmed that talks regarding a fight between Opetaia and Billam-Smith have already started.

“So we have had discussions about Chris Billam-Smith in December,” Francis told Fox Sports Australia.

“Right now, while waiting for Zurdo, Jai wants the biggest fights he can get in the division. We know that when it comes to cruiserweights it’s Jai Opetaia first and daylight second.”

Eddie Hearn, who co-promotes Opetaia alongside Francis and Tasman Fights, told The Ring that the southpaw is in danger of his career passing him by.

Hearn said: “I think it would be a huge shame if Jai moves up to heavyweight without unifying the division. And I also think that at some point you’ve got to do something. You’ve got to make something happen.

“He’s had the David Nyika fight, then Claudio Squeo and Cinkara is his mandatory which I understand and I get it. But before you know it, your career will pass you by. He’s in his absolute prime at the moment.

“He has been unlucky because there’s nothing you can do about Zurdo getting injured. He will probably come back from injury and then say ‘I need a fight before I fight Jai’, so he’s waiting around again.

“We just really need that Zurdo fight, then win the WBC then move up. Opetaia against Zurdo is one of the best fights in the whole sport.”