“I didn’t really enjoy boxing around at the time,” said Billiam-Smith during an interview with TalkSport. “It just felt like a stair fight. I felt comfortable in there, and I did what I had to do, but I didn’t box close to my best.”
The change he described did not come from a single turning point. Instead, it followed the slump that often follows a high-profile defeat. He went from headlining big shows to fighting earlier on a card, and he admitted that the loss affected how he approached the night.
The drop from main events to earlier slots, and all that comes with it, was something he felt in the build-up and carried into the ring.
This version of Billiam-Smith was still good enough to win clearly, but not sharp enough to leave any mark. He talked about wanting a strike, especially after pre-fight comments from Glanton, but never forced the issue. According to his own description, the performance suited his mindset.
Time away reset it. Billiam-Smith said the months since have allowed him to step back from the cycle of camps and fights, correct technical issues and return to training in a better place physically and mentally. He believes the next time he fights, it will be a different version.
“I feel revitalized. I truly believe there will be a new version of me next time I step into the ring,” he said.
The problem is that faith arrives without a clear direction. He currently has no promoter and no confirmed opponent, leaving his return dependent on what opportunities can be built rather than what can be asked. He is aiming for a return in May, but the direction beyond remains open.
Billiam-Smith (35) still talks like a fighter who sees himself near the top of the division, even saying he considers himself the best cruiserweight in the world. That claim coincides with a period where he was largely inactive and, by his own account, not fully invested in his latest performance.
The next fight will have to show more than a victory. It should show that the version he describes is real, not just a reaction to time gone.
