British cruiserweight Chris Billam-Smith delivered a brutal knockout one minute and 52 seconds into the fifth spherical of his combat in opposition to explosive Albanian Armend Xhoxhaj to solidify his declare to a world title shot in 2023.
Billam-Smith completed the combat with a vicious mixture of punches that began with an ideal proper uppercut that rocked Xhoxhaj and left him weak to the flurry of formidable hooks that dropped him to the canvas and ended the combat.
“It was precisely what I assumed it was going to be,” Billam-Smith mentioned.
“I wasn’t switched on sufficient in the beginning and received caught with a number of foolish pictures, however I received the job accomplished, tailored, listened to the nook.
“Shane [McGuigan, his trainer] was saying sit down slightly bit extra, I began doing that, walked him onto a number of pictures and clearly damage him and fortunately he is OK.”
Xhoxhaj fought with pace and aggression from the very first bell, inflicting Billam-Smith some severe issues within the first two rounds of the combat the place he landed a variety of energy pictures that greater than earned Billam-Smith’s respect.
Nonetheless, Billam-Smith remained calm and composed to begin to take management of the combat from the third spherical onwards, rising in success from then till the knockout that ended the combat.
Billam-Smith now appears set to problem for the world championship in his subsequent combat – with IBF champion Jai Opetaia.
“Jai Opetaia’s an awesome champion,” Billam-Smith mentioned, “He beat the person, so now it is my flip to beat the person.”
Promoter Ben Shalom of BOXXER shall be engaged on finalizing that combat.
“We’ll be again in the summertime on the stadium,” Shalom promised. “All of the world champions wish to combat within the UK and we’ll see it.
“Jai Opetaia needs this combat, Chris Billam-Smith needs this combat. He will combat for a world title in Bournemouth and it may be unbelievable.”