Chris Billam-Smith vs. Roman Fress - Interim WBO title?

[Ruthless-RKO]

WBO interim title fight explored as Gilberto Ramirez recovers from surgery

Chris Billam-Smith could find himself back in the title picture by his next fight.

WBO president Gustavo Olivieri confirmed that the sanctioning body is prepared to sanction an interim title fight at cruiserweight. The idea of a secondary title has become a necessity as unified WBA-WBO 200lbs titlist Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez continues to recover from shoulder surgery earlier this summer.

“In light of Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez’s injury & recovery process, the WBO will sanction an Interim Title bout between the first available contenders,” Olivieri announced via social media. “Bout will be subject to ensuring Interim status is terminated expeditiously per WBO Rules.”

England’s Billam-Smith, 21-2 (13 KOs), is currently the leading contender and two fights removed from having held the WBO 200lbs title for nearly 18 months. Ranked right behind him is Germany’s Roman Fress, 23-1 (13 KOs), a 31-year-old Kazakhstan-born boxer based in Magdeburg, Germany.

WBO officials historically tend to gauge interest between eligible contenders before ordering such contests, thus the cautious move to make available an interim title. The sanctioning body generally frowns upon the use of secondary titles, save for when it becomes a necessity.

Ramirez’s current unavailability would qualify as such a scenario.

“Interim titles are warranted only under exceptional circumstances and in line with the WBO’s policy of one world champion per weight class,” noted Olivieri. “Ensuring the division remains active while upholding the integrity of our championships.”

Mexico’s Ramirez, 48-1 (30 KOs), dethroned Billam-Smith via unanimous decision in their WBA-WBO unification bout last November 16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 34-year-old southpaw from Mazatlan previously became a two-division titlist after a unanimous decision over unbeaten WBA titlist Arsen Goulamirian last March 30 in Inglewood, California.

The lone fight of the year for Ramirez came on June 28 when he outpointed WBA mandatory challenger and former two-time cruiserweight titlist Yuniel Dorticos. The win came on the undercard of the Jake Paul-Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr DAZN Pay-Per-View event, a card which teased the possibility of a Ramirez-Paul showdown later this year.

Such rumors were bolstered after Paul was ranked in the top 15 by the WBA at cruiserweight. However, the matter is moot since Ramirez is on the mend.

Billam-Smith’s first post-title reign appearance came on the April 26 Chris Eubank Jnr-Conor Benn undercard. The former titlist outpointed hard-hitting Brandon Glanton over twelve rounds. It marked his first win since he defeated unbeaten Richard Riakporhe last June 15 to retain his WBO belt and avenge his lone career defeat at the time.

Fress would enter his first title fight – secondary or otherwise - should he accept the opportunity to compete for the interim belt. It would also mark his first scheduled 12-round contest. He has won seven in a row since a May 2022 split decision defeat to Armend Xhoxhaj in his Magdeburg hometown.

[Ruthless-RKO]

It's bullshit really.

Why not give someone else a chance to fight for a title?

Also, CBS vs. Fress could just be ordered as a final eliminator can it not?

Then ready for Zurdo when he's back.

[joshj909]

It's bullshit really.

Why not give someone else a chance to fight for a title?

Also, CBS vs. Fress could just be ordered as a final eliminator can it not?

Then ready for Zurdo when he's back.

It does make more sense for it to be an eliminator. CBS is clearly, as it stands, the third best in the division behind Zurdo and Opetaia but Zurdo has recently beat him quite decisively. When Zurdo comes back we'll have to watch that again? Surely CBS would want to pursue a fight with Opetaia more in the long run as he must believe he has more of a chance in that one.

[Ruthless-RKO]

It's bullshit really.

Why not give someone else a chance to fight for a title?

Also, CBS vs. Fress could just be ordered as a final eliminator can it not?

Then ready for Zurdo when he's back.

It does make more sense for it to be an eliminator. CBS is clearly, as it stands, the third best in the division behind Zurdo and Opetaia but Zurdo has recently beat him quite decisively. When Zurdo comes back we'll have to watch that again? Surely CBS would want to pursue a fight with Opetaia more in the long run as he must believe he has more of a chance in that one.

Yeh, some people just stick with one org as well. they don't attempt to get back in with another org.

[Ruthless-RKO]

CHRIS BILLAM-SMITH READY TO ANSWER WBO CALL BY FACING ROMAN FRESS FOR 'INTERIM' CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE

LONDON, England — Chris Billam-Smith is ready to press ahead with a fight against Roman Fress after the WBO opened the door for an interim title clash between the pair.

Billam-Smith (21-2, 13 KOs), The Ring’s No. 2-ranked cruiserweight, has been out of the ring since his hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Brandon Glanton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April.

The former WBO champion is still planning a route back to the world title picture and it now looks like it will go via once-beaten Kazakhstan-born German Fress, given Gilberto Ramirez’s ongoing shoulder injury.

Ramirez, who holds the WBO and WBA titles, underwent surgery earlier this summer and WBO president Gustavo Olivieri recently confirmed that they are ready to sanction an interim title fight in his absence.

“In light of Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez’s injury & recovery process, the WBO will sanction an Interim Title bout between the first available contenders,” Olivieri posted on social media.

“Bout will be subject to ensuring Interim status is terminated expeditiously per WBO Rules.”

The sanctioning body's championship committee chairman, Luis Batista Salas, has since written to both teams with an order to begin negotiations with a 20-day period from the letter being issued — August 19 — and a minimum $300,000 (£222,439) bid attached.

Billam-Smith, ranked at No. 1 with the WBO, has told The Ring he would be happy to face No. 2 Fress for the interim belt, as per Olivieri’s suggestion.

“Obviously the WBO have come out and said about Ramirez and that they are looking to do an interim title fight between their next two highest contenders,” Billam-Smith said.

“That is me, I'm No. 1, and Roman Fress is No. 2 so I'd love to get that fight for the interim. That puts me back in a good position. I don't know what other people's plans are, but it would be a great opportunity for me to fight by the end of the year, ideally, against Roman Fress for the interim.

“It was kind of a fight we were already looking at. So hopefully we can get that over the line and do that towards the end of the year.

“So now I guess it'll be trying to make the fight with Roman Fress so going off the WBO’s own words, they can't accept anyone else as the interim title fight if the No. 1 and No. 2 are fighting each other."

Billam-Smith originally won the full title via an upset win over Lawrence Okolie in May 2023 before successful defences against Mateusz Masternak and Richard Riakporhe. But he lost it during his November 2024 unification with Ramirez in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and still wants a shot at redemption.

He added: “By no means is it the full world title against Fress, but it's the interim belt and it puts me in a great position for another fight with Zurdo. I want to beat him to become WBO and WBA champion. That would be ideal.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Chris Billam-Smith wants WBO interim 200lbs title fight with Roman Fress

Chris Billam-Smith has targeted a WBO interim cruiserweight title fight with Germany’s Roman Fress before the conclusion of 2025.

The sanctioning body has confirmed plans to sanction an interim title fight as a consequence of the WBO and WBA champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez’s inactivity while he recovers from shoulder surgery.

Billam-Smith, 35, sacrificed the WBO title when losing for only the second time, to Mexico’s Ramirez, in November 2024 but returned to the ring in April to outpoint Brandon Glanton.

If a fight between the IBF champion Jai Opetaia and Ramirez has become the most sought-after in the division, Billam-Smith remains determined to fight both, and he told BS: “It’s a great opportunity for me to fight for the interim title whilst Ramirez is injured. Being highly ranked with the WBO seemed my quickest route back to becoming world champion again, and that’s an exciting prospect for me. Hopefully I can get the Roman Fress fight, because he’s number two, before the end of the year. I’d love that – that’d be amazing.

“If Ramirez remains inactive as well, being interim champion’s a good position to be in. I’d love the rematch with ‘Zurdo’, the only man to beat me that I haven’t beaten since. I obviously got the [Richard] Riakporhe revenge, as such; it’d be great to get that back over Zurdo, and then there’s the Opetaia fight as well, which is a huge fight in the division. That’s a great fight as well.”

Billam-Smith was then asked about his future with Boxxer, who since the end of their agreement with broadcasters Sky Sports have announced another with the BBC that remains the subject of some uncertainty. As recently as Monday his fellow English cruiserweight Viddal Riley posted on social media “free agent season”, suggesting that he has since left Boxxer, but Billam-Smith said: “I’m still in contract with Boxxer. I have been for the last few fights, and they’ve allowed me to box on other shows as well. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens with the TV situation and whether that looks like I’ll be on that show. I’m a little bit unsure of what’s next with regards to Boxxer and the BBC, etc.”

Since Billam-Smith’s victory over Glanton, Jake Paul, the social-media influencer turned professional boxer, has earned a world ranking with the WBA as a consequence of an unremarkable victory over the 39-year-old Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr, and Billam-Smith revealed he sought assurances from the WBO that Paul wasn’t about to be rewarded similarly by them.

“It’s a business so I understand to a certain extent,” he said. “I spoke with the WBO about it and they don’t have plans to rank him yet; they say he still has to earn his right with the WBO. It would be such a shame if he got a world title shot before, one, myself – selfishly from my point of view – but many other fighters out there who’ve earned their shot at the WBA, after [Paul] outpointed a career middle, super middleweight, who’s way past it, etc.

“That would be a shame. But I also understand it’s a business, and the sanctioning bodies make their money off sanctioning fees, so they’ll get more money, and unfortunately money’s sometimes the determining factor in a lot of these situations.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

CHRIS BILLAM-SMITH OUTLINES PLANS FOR REST OF 2025, HOPES ROMAN FRESS FIGHT IS PART OF THEM

LONDON — After successfully navigating his way through his make-or-break fight with Brandon Glanton in April, Chris Billam-Smith spent much of the summer on the road.

Whether it was managing a 7-a-side team of AFC Bournemouth legends during a football tournament in North Carolina or making the trip to New York to watch his close friend and stablemate Ellie Scotney further unify super bantamweight titles, “Coach Chris” spent some time away from his own training base.

But, as we approach the last days of summer, Billam-Smith is locking in for a busy end of year spell which will include both the arrival of his second son and, he hopes, the WBO interim cruiserweight title before 2025 is out.

His wife, Mia, is due in September, meaning Billam-Smith has yet to head back to Shane McGuigan’s Leyton, east London gym just yet. As reported by The Ring, the WBO has ordered a fight between its No. 1-ranked 200-pounder, Billam-Smith, and second-rated Roman Fress, given its champion, Gilberto Ramirez, is out with a shoulder injury.

The two teams have been ordered to begin negotiations and Billam-Smith believes it is a fight that will take place toward the end of the year, once his paternity leave is complete.

“We’ve got baby on the way in two weeks,” Billam-Smith told The Ring. “So, I need to be around for that to help support Mia. Obviously, I want to be there as well for the little man. I want to be here and be as present as I can. I’ll still be training and stuff, but there is just a lot going on in life. I need to be around for that and I’m staying fit when I’m at home at the moment, and I just need to keep pushing on really.

“I’ll pop up to Shane’s a few times here and there in September and then after that I’ll be looking to be in there full-time again from the end of September. That means, end of November, early December I can be prepared for.”

Billam-Smith (21-2, 13 KOs) is The Ring’s No. 2-ranked cruiserweight behind only champion Jai Opetaia and Ramirez, who beat him in Riyadh last year. The 35-year-old contender lost his WBO title to the Mexican that night and knows a defeat to Germany’s Fress (23-1, 13 KOs) would be a catastrophic blow to his hopes of ever winning a major title again.

The Bournemouth man therefore will approach their fight with the same application as he always does.

“I’ve known about Fress for a few years,” Billam-Smith said. “He’s got a decent record and his only defeat was a split decision. He’s won against a few unbeaten lads since then and has a good record. A decent all-rounder, decent boxer, well-schooled, super tough. It’s now a case of waiting to see if the fight gets made and then I’ll do more studying of him.”

Although his next opponent and route back to world title contention now seem clear, it is unclear on which platform Billam-Smith will do his fighting.

Billam-Smith is under contract with Boxxer, which has facilitated some of the biggest nights of his career, including the one in May 2023 when he beat Lawrence Okolie to win the world title at the home of his beloved AFC Bournemouth. But with their recent split with Sky and resulting deal with BBC, a number of Boxxer fighters, including Billam-Smith’s fellow cruiserweight Viddal Riley, have sought new pastures.

“I’m still in contract with Boxxer currently, but my last two fights haven’t been on Boxxer shows,” Billam-Smith said. “The Glanton fight at Tottenham was on The Ring and the Zurdo fight before that was on Golden Boy, so yeah, so there have been opportunities with other promoters.

“So, myself, my team, Ben Shalom and Boxxer have worked with other promoters putting my fights on, so there’s always that to play with. I think we’ve worked together really well in terms of working for the right opportunities for me and then providing those opportunities and helping me have the best fights in my career.”

Earlier this month, Boxxer announced a new deal with BBC, which will bring professional boxing back to its linear programming for the first time in two decades. Since the announcement, however, there have been few further details about dates or potential fights. And, while Billam-Smith would love to box on the BBC, he is not sure whether it will be viable given his plans.

“I don’t know what the budgets are on BBC or what sort of level fights they’re going to be looking at,” Billam-Smith said. “That’ll play a big factor in them being able to make certain fights, so it’s got to make sense for everyone. I guess we’ll just wait and see how it plays out, but as a team I know we’re in conversation with everyone we need to be in conversations with. The BBC would be a great platform to box on. But then again, Sky Sports have also been very good for me, and I've been really pleased with how everything’s gone on Sky Sports.

“Depending on what happens, if Sky Sports are still in boxing, then yeah, there might be an opportunity there. If not, BBC would also be great because you get a lot of eyes, a lot of exposure on BBC. I just need to focus on what I can control and that’s my boxing.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Chris Billam-Smith vs. Roman Fress purse bid to be held October 3

With no agreement yet between Chris Billam-Smith and Roman Fress, the WBO has called for a purse bid for the right to promote the interim cruiserweight title fight.

The WBO ordered its two top-ranked cruiserweights to vie for the secondary belt because Gilberto Ramirez – who has the primary WBO belt as well as the WBA title – will remain on the shelf due to shoulder surgery.

The WBO’s order, issued August 19, gave the camps a deadline of 20 days to make a deal. That deadline passed more than two weeks ago. And so on September 26, the WBO said a purse bid proceeding is scheduled for October 3 in Budapest, Hungary.

The minimum bid is $300,000. The fight must be held between 45 and 90 days after the purse bid. Billam-Smith and Fress are still able to negotiate up until the purse bid, which would be canceled if they reach an agreement.

Billam-Smith, 21-2 (13 KOs), is a former WBO cruiserweight titleholder who won that recognition with a majority decision over Lawrence Okolie in May 2023. The 35-year-old from England made two successful defenses against Mateusz Masternak (TKO8) and Richard Riakporhe (UD12) before losing a unanimous decision to Ramirez in a unification bout last November. Billam-Smith returned in April on the undercard of Chris Eubank Jnr-Conor Benn I and won a unanimous decision over Brandon Glanton.

Fress, 23-1 (13 KOs), is a 31-year-old from Germany. That lone loss came in 2022, when he dropped a split decision to the 13-2 Armend Xhoxhaj. Fress is on an eight-fight winning streak, though he’s yet to step up his level of competition. In his most recent appearance in May, Fress took a 10-round decision over the 13-1 Michael Seitz.

[Ruthless-RKO]

WBO has scheduled a purse bid for October 2nd

[Ruthless-RKO]

Proposed WBO title fight between Chris Billam-Smith and Roman Fress in limbo

The proposed bout, for the WBO interim cruiserweight title, between Chris Billam-Smith and Germany's Roman Fress is in limbo after Thursday's purse bids, in Budapest, came and went without any offers to stage it.

The Boxxer-promoted Billam-Smith, 21-2 (13 KOs), has been inactive since outpointing Brandon Glanton in April. The 35-year-old, from Bournemouth, England, lost the WBO title to Gilbert Ramirez last November. Ramirez is currently sidelined with injury, hence why the WBO has moved to instate an interim titlist.

Fress, 23-1 (13 KOs) and promoted by SES, decisioned Michael Seitz over 10 rounds in May, a victory which represented his eighth consecutive triumph since his lone defeat, to Armend Xhoxhaj, in May 2022.

The WBO are now considering their options which might include lowering the minimum bid, which did stand at $300,000.

One fight that will go ahead is the battle between super middleweights Luka Plantic, from Croatia, and Uganda's Shadiri Musa Bwogi. The contest, for the WBC International strap, is set for November 23 at the Olympic Park in Tirana, Albania.

[Ruthless-RKO]

No one made a bid.

Boxxer didn’t even bother. Probably dont even have a budget.

Surely a $400k bid would have been affordable for an interim world champion fight.

Or even the likes of Eddie getting involved. He couldn’t have lost this bid

[Coco]

No one made a bid.

Boxxer didn’t even bother. Probably dont even have a budget.

Surely a $400k bid would have been affordable for an interim world champion fight.

Or even the likes of Eddie getting involved. He couldn’t have lost this bid

Would work out at 150k each less expenses for the minimum bid, didn't even get to that, a reminder of what is typically on offer at top class

[Glass Joe]

Think no one bidded as it was a interim fight and no one gonna make a profit on that fight. Would like to see CBS against Jai Opetaia shame never got it on eubank benn card

[2184653]

Pretty telling that not a single bid came in — even from Boxxer or Matchroom. It really shows how little commercial pull there is for an interim cruiserweight title fight right now, especially one without a major TV partner backing it.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Chris Billam-Smith vs. Roman Fress gets a 2nd purse bid, scheduled for Oct. 16

WBO officials quickly huddled in an effort to move forward with its proposed secondary title fight.

Boxing Scene has confirmed that a second purse bid hearing has been scheduled for the previously ordered Chris Billam-Smith vs. Roman Fress clash. The new session will take place this Thursday from WBO headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The move comes less than two weeks after their previous scheduled hearing ended without any takers for the WBO interim 200lbs title fight. An emergency meeting held by the sanctioning body’s Championship Committee ended with the unanimously voted ruling to lower the minimum bid by 50 per cent to $150,000.

Despite no interest from any promoter – perhaps only in part to the original $300,000 purse bid minimum – the WBO felt it necessary to move forward with the bout. Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez. 48-1 (30 KOs), is the recognized WBO and WBA titleholder but is currently on the sidelines as he recovers from shoulder surgery earlier this summer.

England’s Billam-Smith, 21-2 (13 KOs) – a former WBO titlist – is promoted by BOXXER. Germany’s Fress is represented by Ulf Steinforth’s SES Boxing. Both boxers are the two highest rated challengers in the most current WBO cruiserweight rankings.

To date, neither promoter seems interested in taking the lead on the fight, though the reduced minimum price tag could potentially pique interest.

Billam-Smith – known simply as “CBS” - previously won the WBO title in a May 2023 upset victory over then-unbeaten titleholder Lawrence Okolie in his hometown of Bournemouth, England. Two successful defenses followed before he dropped a unanimous decision to Ramirez in their WBA/WBO unification bout last November 16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Just one fight has followed for the firmer titleholder. It came on the April 26 Chris Eubank Jnr-Conor Benn undercard, where he outpointed hard-hitting Brandon Glanton over twelve rounds in North London. It marked his first win since he defeated unbeaten Richard Riakporhe last June 15 to retain his WBO belt and avenge his lone career defeat at the time.

Fress (23-1, 13 KOs) has never previously fought on the major title stage, not even for a secondary belt or in a sanctioned eliminator. Such an opportunity would mark his first scheduled 12-round contest.

The Kazakhstan-born boxer – now based in Magdeburg, Germany - has won seven fights in a row since a May 2022 split decision defeat to Armend Xhoxhaj. Fress’ most recent victory came in a ten-round, unanimous decision over Michael Seitz on a May 17 in Magdeburg that commemorated SES Boxing’s 25th anniversary.

Ramirez will be required to face the existing interim titlist once he is medically cleared to return to the ring.

[Ruthless-RKO]

CHRIS BILLAM-SMITH VS. ROMAN FRESS IN DOUBT AS SES PROMOTIONS WIN WBO PURSE BID

SES Promotions have won the right to stage Chris Billam-Smith-Roman Fress, who have been ordered to clash for the WBO's 'interim' cruiserweight belt.

Ulf Steinforth's German outfit were the sole bidder putting up $156,921.00, which will be split 60-40 in favor of Billam-Smith. Both parties have 48 hours to confirm their participation.

According to the WBO President, Gustavo Olivieri, who took to X to announce that SES intend to host the fight in Germany at one of three sites, Magdeburg, Chemnitz or Vechta, on January 14, 2026.

A week ago, the WBO called for a purse bid for the fight, but nobody offered the $300,000.00 required to stage the fight and so the WBO dropped the terms to $150,000.00.

No word at the time of writing on whether Billam-Smith, who is promoted by Boxxer, will accept the opportunity which would see him make $94,152.60. If he doesn't accept, per WBO rules, he will be declared unavailable, and the sanctioning body will move to the next fighter in their ratings. The No. 3 rated Umar Salamov is the next rated fighter.

The WBO champion Gilberto Ramirez is currently on the sidelines having undergone shoulder surgery which means he won't fight until next year, with no specific date tabbed for a return.

[Ruthless-RKO]

SES Boxing has big plans for Chris Billam-Smith vs Roman Fress

The team surrounding cruiserweight contender Roman Fress found a way to level the playing field.

SES Boxing has secured the rights to an ordered WBO interim 200lbs title fight between Fress and former full titleholder Chris Billam-Smith. A second purse bid hearing held Thursday was won by Germany-based SES Boxing, which submitted $156,921 as the session’s lone participant.

“Now we finally have the important and necessary planning security,” SES founder Ulf Steinforth told BS. “Roman Fress can secure the world championship belt in Germany – it's his 'home game,' and so a major world championship fight will finally be held in Germany for the first time in a long time.

“We will now finalize the plans and announce the date and venue soon. This will be an important mega-event for German boxing.”

The working date for the bout is January 14. The suggested host cities in Germany are Vechta and Magdeburg, the latter serving as the home base for SES Boxing and also Fress’ current hometown.

That’s if the fight moves forward.

Billam-Smith, 21-2 (13 KOs), will get the favorable end of a 60-40 split for what would mark his second career fight outside the UK. However, it still leaves the fighting pride of Bournemouth, England, with a payday of just over $94,000 for a secondary title fight on the road.

That said, Billam-Smith and BOXXER had the opportunity to bail on the fight after the first scheduled purse bid failed to produce a single participant. It was then unanimously voted by the WBO Championship Committee to lower the minimum bid by 50 per cent to $150,000.

By that point, it was up to either participant to inform the sanctioning body if they were no longer interested in moving forward with the ordered fight.

Should the fight take place, the winner will become the WBO mandatory challenger to unified 200lbs titlist Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez.

The WBO normally refrains from interim titles save for extreme circumstances. The need arose in this case as Mexico’s Ramirez, 48-1 (30 KOs), is sidelined while he continues to recovery from shoulder surgery earlier this summer.

Billam-Smith – known as “CBS” in boxing circles – lost his WBO title to Ramirez in their unification bout last November 16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The setback ended his title reign just shy of 17 months after a May 2023 upset win over Lawrence Okolie at home in Bournemouth.

His two successful title defenses included a June 2024 victory over unbeaten Richard Riakporhe to avenge what was then his lone career defeat.

Billam-Smith’s only fight since the end of his title reign came earlier this year. He outpointed Brandon Glanton over 12 rounds on the April 26 Chris Eubank Jnr-Conor Benn undercard in North London.

Fress has every intention of taking on what will mark by far the toughest test of his career.

The Kazakhstan-born Fress has won seven fights in a row since a May 2022 split decision defeat to Armend Xhoxhaj. His most recent victory came in a 10-round unanimous decision over Michael Seitz on May 17 in Magdeburg, a show that commemorated SES Boxing’s 25th anniversary.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Chris Billam-Smith issued deadline to accept terms for interim title fight

Chris Billam-Smith is now up against a ticking clock to decide on his next in-ring opportunity.

The sanctioning body has now issued a hard deadline for Billam-Smith, 21-2 (13 KOs), to formally notify all parties of his intentions.

“Team Billam-Smith has until Monday, October 20, 2025 to confirm in writing to the WBO whether they will fight Roman Fress,” WBO president Gustavo Olivieri informed BS and other outlets on Saturday. “Failure to confirm will result in the selection of the next available contender per WBO rules.”

As previously reported by BS, SES Boxing – Fress’ promoter – won the rights to the ordered interim title fight. The Magdeburg, Germany-headquartered outfit submitted $156,921 as the lone bidder for Thursday’s hearing. BOXXER, Billam-Smith’s promoter, did not participate, for reasons the UK-based company will have to explain.

Billam-Smith is entitled to 60 per cent of the winning amount, which leaves him with a $94,152.60 payday to fight in Fress’ home country. A firm location was not yet revealed, though SES confirmed its plans to stage the bout next January 14 in either Magdeburg or Vechta, Germany.

Immediate post-purse-bid speculation suggested that Billam-Smith and BOXXER will explore other opportunities. However, the onus was on them to inform the WBO of its disinterest after the first purse bid came and went without a single participant.

The minimum bid at the time was $300,000. It was then unanimously voted by the WBO Championship Committee to lower the minimum bid by 50 per cent to $150,000, after which point SES Boxing stepped up to claim promotional rights.

Although not an ideal payday or scenario, the cruiserweight division isn’t exactly overflowing with better options.

Lineal and IBF champion Jai Opetaia is already locked into a December 6 title defense against mandatory challenger Huseyin Cinkara.

Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez – who defeated Billam-Smith to unify the WBA and WBO titles last November – is sidelined as he recovers from shoulder surgery. His extended unavailability is the reason why the WBO agreed to sanction an interim title fight.

WBC titleholder Badou Jack is due to face mandatory challenger and former titleholder Noel Mikaelyan on December 13 in Los Angeles. The bout is an ordered rematch from their May 3 encounter, which saw Jack – a three-division titleholder – claim an unpopular majority decision.

Billam-Smith has fought just once since his defeat to Ramirez. It came in a 12-round decision victory over Brandon Glanton on the April 26 Chris Eubank Jnr-Conor Benn undercard in North London.

Billam-Smith, a 35-year-old from Bournemouth, England, held the WBO title from May 2023 through his loss to Ramirez last November. A win over Fress would position him as the mandatory challenger to his old title. There would also exist the possibility of an upgrade to full from interim titlist if Ramirez opted to take on any other fight.

Fress has every intention of taking on what will mark by far the toughest test of his career.

The Kazakhstan-born Fress has won seven fights in a row since a May 2022 split decision defeat to Armend Xhoxhaj. His most recent victory came in a 10-round, unanimous decision over Michael Seitz on May 17 in Magdeburg, a show that commemorated SES Boxing’s 25th anniversary.

[Coco]

I know it's away from home but a 100k purse minus McGuigans take for a straightforward fight which will make you mandatory

It's a no brainer

Maybe Ben doesn't want his fighters on other shows, but if that's the case he has to put them on.

Or are they waiting for Jody Meikle to get his license back

[Ruthless-RKO]

Was thinking the same.

Interim world title fight.

Yeh, it might be a cut in pay, but it’s just like a mandatory fight and he’s likely a heavy favourite here too. Win here sets him up for a world title fight or even a world title, if Zurdo has to vacate.

Only crap thing is, we’ve already seen Smith-Zurdo.

[Ruthless-RKO]

WBO moves on from Chris Billam-Smith for interim cruiserweight title fight

It’s on to the next one for Roman Fress.

WBO President Gustavo Olivieri confirmed on Monday that Chris Billam-Smith is no longer in the mix to challenge for the sanctioning body’s interim cruiserweight title. The ruling came at the end of the deadline imposed by the Puerto Rico-headquartered group; the deadline was established due to the lack of communication from Billam-Smith and promoter BOXXER following last week’s purse bid result.

“Team Billam-Smith, through Boxxer, did not confirm participation under the purse bid won by SES Promotions after a 48-hour extension expired today,” Olivieri posted on social media, as part of his full transparency policy. “The WBO will proceed to select the next available contender & rule accordingly.”

The development comes just days after SES Boxing – Fress’ promoter – secured the rights to the secondary title fight. SES was the lone participant for the October 16 hearing and submitted a bid of $156,921 – just above the modified minimum for the ordered fight to move forward.

A working fight date of January 14 was offered, likely to have taken place in SES and Fress’ home base of Magdeburg, Germany.

However, it was always a long shot that England’s Billam-Smith, 21-2 (13 KOs) – a former WBO 200lbs titlist – was going to accept a $94,152.60 payday, 60% of the bid, to make the road trip.

That said, it was up to his team to inform the WBO that their side was no longer interested in moving forward with the fight.

They had a similar opportunity when the October 3 purse bid came and went without any participants. The minimum bid at the time was $300,000, after which the WBO Championship Committee agreed to lower that amount by 50% ahead of the rescheduled hearing.

Boxxer did not participate in either session.

As BS previously reported, Billam-Smith’s other options are relatively thin. Boxxer has yet to launch its new platform deal with BBC, after the company’s deal with Sky Sports concluded earlier this year.

Additionally, the other belts are tied up for the immediate future. The WBO agreed to an interim title fight since its full beltholder, Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, 48-1 (30 KOs), is recovering from shoulder surgery performed earlier this year.

Mexico’s Ramirez also holds the WBA title. He ended Billam-Smith’s WBO reign with a convincing 12-round unanimous decision win in their November 2024 unification bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

At the moment, the WBA – notorious for its liberal use of secondary titles – has not called for a “world” or even interim cruiserweight title fight.

Lineal and IBF champion Jai Opetaia, 28-0 (22 KOs), is scheduled to next face mandatory challenger Huseyin Cinkara on December 6 in Broadbeach, Australia.

WBC titlist Badou Jack, 29-3-3 (17 KOs), will next face Noel Mikaelyan on December 13 in a rematch to his disputed win in their May 3 title fight in Riyadh.

Meanwhile, Fress, 23-1 (13 KOs), will await next instructions from the WBO.

The Kazakhstan-born boxer is currently riding an eight-fight win streak since a May 2022 split decision defeat to Armend Xhoxhaj. Fress’ most recent victory came in a 10-round unanimous decision over Michael Seitz on May 17 in Magdeburg, a show commemorating SES Boxing’s 25th anniversary.

The highest rated contender after Billam-Smith and Fress is third-ranked Umar Salamov, 32-2 (24 KOs).

The 31-year-old Russia-born, Las Vegas-based bruiser has won six in a row, all since he moved up to cruiserweight in 2022. His last defeat came in a December 2021 title challenge of then-unbeaten WBA light heavyweight titlist Dmitry Bivol, now the lineal and unified IBF, WBAand WBO champ at the weight.

WBO officials are normally measured in their selection process, be it for interim title fights or even the occasional title eliminator. The sanctioning body will first gauge interest with the targeted contenders before ordering such a fight, which means that Salamov and his team can soon expect a notification on the subject.

[giacomino]

WBO moves on from Chris Billam-Smith for interim cruiserweight title fight

It’s on to the next one for Roman Fress.

WBO President Gustavo Olivieri confirmed on Monday that Chris Billam-Smith is no longer in the mix to challenge for the sanctioning body’s interim cruiserweight title. The ruling came at the end of the deadline imposed by the Puerto Rico-headquartered group; the deadline was established due to the lack of communication from Billam-Smith and promoter BOXXER following last week’s purse bid result.

“Team Billam-Smith, through Boxxer, did not confirm participation under the purse bid won by SES Promotions after a 48-hour extension expired today,” Olivieri posted on social media, as part of his full transparency policy. “The WBO will proceed to select the next available contender & rule accordingly.”

The development comes just days after SES Boxing – Fress’ promoter – secured the rights to the secondary title fight. SES was the lone participant for the October 16 hearing and submitted a bid of $156,921 – just above the modified minimum for the ordered fight to move forward.

A working fight date of January 14 was offered, likely to have taken place in SES and Fress’ home base of Magdeburg, Germany.

However, it was always a long shot that England’s Billam-Smith, 21-2 (13 KOs) – a former WBO 200lbs titlist – was going to accept a $94,152.60 payday, 60% of the bid, to make the road trip.

That said, it was up to his team to inform the WBO that their side was no longer interested in moving forward with the fight.

They had a similar opportunity when the October 3 purse bid came and went without any participants. The minimum bid at the time was $300,000, after which the WBO Championship Committee agreed to lower that amount by 50% ahead of the rescheduled hearing.

Boxxer did not participate in either session.

As BS previously reported, Billam-Smith’s other options are relatively thin. Boxxer has yet to launch its new platform deal with BBC, after the company’s deal with Sky Sports concluded earlier this year.

Additionally, the other belts are tied up for the immediate future. The WBO agreed to an interim title fight since its full beltholder, Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, 48-1 (30 KOs), is recovering from shoulder surgery performed earlier this year.

Mexico’s Ramirez also holds the WBA title. He ended Billam-Smith’s WBO reign with a convincing 12-round unanimous decision win in their November 2024 unification bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

At the moment, the WBA – notorious for its liberal use of secondary titles – has not called for a “world” or even interim cruiserweight title fight.

Lineal and IBF champion Jai Opetaia, 28-0 (22 KOs), is scheduled to next face mandatory challenger Huseyin Cinkara on December 6 in Broadbeach, Australia.

WBC titlist Badou Jack, 29-3-3 (17 KOs), will next face Noel Mikaelyan on December 13 in a rematch to his disputed win in their May 3 title fight in Riyadh.

Meanwhile, Fress, 23-1 (13 KOs), will await next instructions from the WBO.

The Kazakhstan-born boxer is currently riding an eight-fight win streak since a May 2022 split decision defeat to Armend Xhoxhaj. Fress’ most recent victory came in a 10-round unanimous decision over Michael Seitz on May 17 in Magdeburg, a show commemorating SES Boxing’s 25th anniversary.

The highest rated contender after Billam-Smith and Fress is third-ranked Umar Salamov, 32-2 (24 KOs).

The 31-year-old Russia-born, Las Vegas-based bruiser has won six in a row, all since he moved up to cruiserweight in 2022. His last defeat came in a December 2021 title challenge of then-unbeaten WBA light heavyweight titlist Dmitry Bivol, now the lineal and unified IBF, WBAand WBO champ at the weight.

WBO officials are normally measured in their selection process, be it for interim title fights or even the occasional title eliminator. The sanctioning body will first gauge interest with the targeted contenders before ordering such a fight, which means that Salamov and his team can soon expect a notification on the subject.

Really too bad they won’t just scrap the latest Jai Opetaia cupcake defense and bring in Billam-Smith as a replacement

[Ruthless-RKO]

Billam-Smith No Longer In Mix To Fight Fress For WBO Interim Cruiserweight Title

Apparently, Chris Billam-Smith has other plans.

A few days after finding out about a winning bid for his WBO interim cruiserweight title fight against Germany’s Roman Fress, Boxxer, the promoter of England’s Billam-Smith, failed to notify the sanctioning body of his participation by its deadline. Gustavo Olivieri, president of the WBO, announced on X on Monday night that it will move on to the next available contender and rule accordingly.

SES Promotions was the sole bidder for the Billam-Smith-Fress fight last week, putting up $156,921.

According to the WBO’s rules, Billam-Smith (21-2, 13 KOs) was entitled to 60 percent of that purse ($94,152.60) because he is the No. 1 contender. The second-ranked Fress (23-1, 13 KOs) would’ve earned 40 percent ($62,768.40).

Next in line, and most likely to get the call, would be third-ranked Umar Salamov (32-2, 24 KOs).

If Russia’s Salamov accepts the opportunity, his fight against Fress could take place on January 14. According to Olivieri’s previous announcement, three German cities lead the pack in terms of the potential location for that bout – Magdeburg, Chemnitz and Vechta.

The WBO approved a fight for its interim championship because cruiserweight champ Gilberto Ramirez is recovering from shoulder surgery. Mexico’s Ramirez (48-1, 30 KOs) won that belt from Billam-Smith, whom he beat by unanimous decision 11 months ago in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

[Coco]

Let's hope they have a better plan for him....

[rio]

Let's hope they have a better plan for him....

Turned down 500k to fight Opetaia as well which would hence been a 50/50 split in the Eubank/Benn undercard..... said he wanted 1 million. Think he's massively over valuing himself