A seismic showdown on the south coast seafront is set for May 27 as Lawrence Okolie travels to enemy territory to defend his WBO world cruiserweight title against challenger Chris Billam-Smith at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth
The biggest boxing event ever to take place on the south coast will be staged in Bournemouth’s biggest venue: the Vitality Stadium, home to Billam-Smith’s beloved Premier League football team, AFC Bournemouth.
Londoner Okolie has held the WBO world cruiserweight championship since his March 2021 stoppage win over Krzysztof Głowacki. Since then, he has made three successful defences - most recently handing New Zealand champion David Light the first loss of his professional career in last month’s Manchester encounter.
During his reign, Okolie has watched as a band of bonafide cruiserweight contenders have emerged. Bournemouth’s Billam-Smith and London’s Richard Riakporhe and Mikael Lawal are all homegrown talents who have their eyes on his crown.
Training under Shane McGuigan – several times ‘Boxing Trainer of the Year’ among numerous sports publications – Billam-Smith has climbed the ranks steadily, winning first the Commonwealth Cruiserweight Championship and then the European Cruiserweight Championship to build a solid platform for this world title shot.