Chris Billam-Smith faces biggest night of his career but he doesn't care he's the underdog

Saturday is the most important night of Chris Billam-Smith’s career. He has never fought outside the UK, now he is part of Riyadh Season in Saudi. When Billam-Smith was in Los Angeles to promote the defence of his WBO cruiserweight title he got the impression that Gilberto Ramirez was thinking this is going to be easy, which fired him up even more.

He wants his opponent to be arrogant, believing it’s going to be an easy night. Billam-Smith was the underdog against Lawrence Okolie, Richard Riakporhe, everybody really. He doesn’t care.



He knows he can fight, he knows what it takes. Ramirez is a dangerous fighter, losing only to the great Dimitry Bivol, but he is coming up from light heavyweight and is against a proper cruiser here. Billam-Smith stands 6ft 3.

5ins. He walks around at 15st 7lbs-10lbs. He is naturally a big guy.

Ramirez will feel that extra size and strength. Ramirez will hit him hard, of course, but those blows will fall on a granite chin. Among others, Billam-Smith has been sparring with Joe Ward, one of the best amateurs to come out of Ireland before he turned pro.

Moses Itauma’s brother Karol, a southpaw like Ramirez, has also been working with him, which has been great. Ramirez is quick and a sharp puncher, looping shots in from distance or creeping forward. Billiam-Smith will have to change it up a bit, show grit and stamina.

But that is his game. He wins this by dominating from the centre of the ring and backing up Ramirez, blocking and firing back. He must be the aggressor.

He has to take him out of his comfort zone. Every time he comes up against a supposedly more talented fighter he has found a way to win, That’s what he does. Ask Okolie.

It was a messy, gory fight. He dropped Okolie then ground it out down the stretch. Billam-Smith out-worked Riakporhe, who we thought he beat first time around before suffering the only blemish on his record.

Riakporhe was supposed to knock him out. It might look scrappy, but he doesn’t care, and frankly neither do I. Winning ugly is still winning.

Besides, all those years ago when he asked Shane to train him, a British title seemed a distant dream. His is one of the great romantic stories of British boxing , winning the British, European and eventually the world title. It’s the same approach here as it was then.

Pull on those ten ounce gloves and be ready. Follow Barry on X at @‌ClonesCyclone @McGuigans_Gym.