WBO cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith has detailed why a fight with IBF and Ring Magazine champion Jai Opetaia has not been made for the end of the year.
Billam-Smith beat Richard Riakporhe in his latest title defence three months ago, and a unification bout seems to be on the cards for "The Gentleman".
Opetaia's name was immediately mentioned with the Australian labelled as the best operator at 200lbs. However, with Opetaia set to face Jack Massey on October 12, Billam-Smith will have to wait a little while longer for his shot.
Appearing on Sky Sports' Toe 2 Toe podcast, Billam-Smith revealed that it was his training schedule which affected any chance of a clash with Opetaia before the year's end.
"That’s the fight people see as the number one [fight] in the division,” Billam-Smith said.
“We’ve both got fights in the meantime but I said, ‘Look, I’ll be ready in November or December.’ He [Opetaia] said we got offered it 10 weeks out and that’s long enough for a camp, and that is right, but I was in America at the start of a three-week holiday. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to start properly training until last week. I then would have had a six or seven-week camp, I think, and Opetaia is a very, very good fighter."
Billam-Smith then decided to make a controversial claim about Opetaia's ability and his unbeaten 25-0 record (19 KOs).
"But I don’t think he’s as good as the hype at the moment. The only name on his record is [Mairis] Briedis; a very good name, but what Briedis was it?" Billam-Smith continued.
"In the second fight we saw a very old Briedis and in the other one he had been out [of the ring] for a while and there were rumours he was ill and stuff. What Briedis were you getting? Definitely not a prime Briedis."
Instead it looks like Billam-Smith will be pursuing a date with WBA champion Gilberto Ramirez with "The Gentleman" eager to make the stateside trip as a reward for his passionate fans in Bournemouth.
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