Chris Billam-Smith could benefit from Oleksandr Usyk’s plan to return to the cruiserweight division.
Usyk was the undisputed cruiserweight world champion before repeating that feat twice at heavyweight, defeating Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois among others.
But the Ukrainian giants have revealed that he is now considering it returning to cruiserweight before the end of his career.
It’s a move Billam-Smith, the former WBO world cruiserweight champion, welcomes.
“It’s probably fair to say it knocks me down a place in the world rankings!” he said Sky Sports.
“But it’s also great for the division, a big name for the division that really has probably been the face of boxing, obviously in terms of achievements.”
Usyk is expected to target formidable cruiserweight champion David Benavidez, the current WBA and WBO title holder.
If Benavidez does box Usyk, that means he won’t be fighting Jai Opetaia, another elite heavyweight, next. Opetaia will most likely return to cruiserweight after his December clash with Deontay Wilder but then he will seek an opponent himself.
This would be Billam-Smith’s opportunity. He’s still hunting for that fight.
“It definitely seems more feasible now,” he said. “I’m happy about that because I think Benavidez would beat him and I’ve always wanted to be the first man to beat Opetaia.”
Usyk vs … Billam-Smith?
If Usyk wanted to reacquaint himself with cruiserweight boxing before fighting Benavidez, he could do worse than pick a strong, up-and-coming former world champion like Billam-Smith in an interim bout.
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Oleksandr Usyk survived an incredible submission from kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven as the fight was stopped with seconds remaining in the eleventh round. Highlights courtesy of DAZN and Ring Magazine
But Billam-Smith will expect Usyk to go straight into a fight with Benavidez, even though the Ukrainian has not fought since defeating Rico Verhoeven in May.
“I think the level he’s been and the level he’s at in terms of marketable fights, I think he’d go straight into a Benavidez fight, especially at his age now,” Billam-Smith said, before adding with a laugh: “I think he doesn’t need to make the interim fight, especially the dangerous ones, against me.”
But Billam-Smith can dare to dream. Saturday, live on Sky Sportshe fights Cheavon Clarke. Win it and it could be the next Opetaia. Get him and he’d be right at the top of the division. So why couldn’t a Usyk fight happen?
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Speaking on the Toe 2 Toe podcast, European cruiserweight champion Viddal Riley predicts a tight fight between Chris Billam-Smith and Chev Clarke on Zuffa Boxing 12
“Not anymore, maybe if he beats Benavidez, I beat Opetaia, that’s a little southern kiss to warm up before I go in with Usyk,” he said happily.
Why is Usyk coming back?
Why is Usyk risking his legacy by making a potentially dangerous return to the cruiserweight division? “Challenge. Just challenge,” said Viddal Riley, the European cruiserweight champion. Sky Sports.
“He keeps hearing, ‘This guy’s a monster, this guy’s a monster,’ and then there’s a part of him that just wants to tell people: no, he’s not a monster. I’m that guy. I’ve always been the guy.”
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Speaking on the Toe 2 Toe podcast, European cruiserweight champion Viddal Riley believes Oleksandr Usyk’s potential return to cruiserweight could shake up the division
“I think there’s a lot of ego involved and it can backfire. It can backfire. People don’t really go to heavyweight, come down and look the same.
“I don’t like to see the greats and the OGs do things like that because you’re letting the goalposts move and trying to move on when you’ve accomplished everything you need to accomplish.
“But it’s still good for me and the breakup because it’s talked about more.”
Watch Chris Billam-Smith vs Cheavon Clarke this Saturday live Sky Sports.
