Chris Billiam-Smith says he wants a world title fight next against WBC cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelyan after losing a 12-round unanimous decision defeat to Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez on November 16 in Riyadh.
Billiam-Smith (20-2, 13 KOs) hopes to capture the WBC belt, then face the winner of the unification fight between IBF champion Zurdo Ramirez and IBF champion Jai Opetaia.
If he ends up fighting Zurdo again, he will need to make drastic changes to his punch production because he was outmatched, outworked, and beaten to a pulp by the Mexican star.
“It’s likely that if Jai Opetaia goes through for his next fight, then he’ll be fighting Zurdo (Ramirez) for three of the belts,” Billam-Smith said. BBC Sports about his plans.
“I would like to fight the other champion (Noel Mikaelyan) and then take the winner of that fight if possible. It has to be at world level, either for an eliminator or for a world title.”
Billiam-Smith’s promoter will need to work out a deal for him to fight WBC champion Mikaelyan, as that fight might not be realistic right now. Money talks.
“I was hitting him with real clean shots and I just wasn’t getting any reaction from him and I was shocked.” Billam-Smith said of Gilberto Ramirez. “We thought it might get to him and hurt him, but it wasn’t to be.”
Billiam-Smith hadn’t landed enough punches to hurt Ramirez because he was there to get hurt if he could increase his punch output.
