Chris Billam-Smith believes Ryan Rozicki has taken his opportunity seriously, but he doesn’t think a single training camp can make up for years spent at a higher level.
The former WBO cruiserweight champion returns against Rozicki in Bournemouth on Saturday, with the winner expected to move closer to a big fight in a division led by Jai Opetaia.
Billam-Smith was asked if Rozicki really believes he belongs at this level.
“I believe he thinks he has an opportunity. He’s taken it very seriously, and he’s doing everything he has to do. But sometimes it’s just not enough. Sometimes you’re just not good enough,” Billiam-Smith told ProBox TV.
“I think he is what he is in terms of his hitting power and his physique and what he does. But sometimes there are things you can’t just turn on for one training camp. When I’ve been doing it for this long, and I’ve been at a higher level for this long, you can’t just catch up in one training camp.”
Rozicki enters the fight with a reputation as one of the division’s hardest punchers and has repeatedly talked about ending the fight by knockout. Billam-Smith acknowledged the threat but believes experience will be an important factor when they meet.
“He’s already talked about: ‘I’m going to win by knockout, or I’m going to be knocked out.’ So he doesn’t doubt the fact that he knows he can be beaten.
“But I think he feels it’s a good opportunity.”
Saturday’s fight is Billam-Smith’s first outing since his points victory over Brandon Glanton in April 2025. A win would keep him in the mix for the biggest fights at cruiserweight, including a potential clash with Ring Magazine champion Jai Opetaia.
“For me, I think he believes he has an opportunity and he’s going to give it his all. But the Jai Opetaia fight is the one I want right now. That’s the next step, but I’ve got to take care of business on Saturday.”
Click here to subscribe to our FREE newsletter
Related Boxing News:
Last updated on 2026/06/04 at 11:24
