Newly crowned WBO cruiserweight world champion Chris Billam-Smith would have no problem with defending his title against Mexican superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.
Last month in Bournemouth, Billam-Smith pulled off a major upset when dropped Lawrence Okolie three times to clinch a twelve round decision to capture the WBO world title.
Okolie has vowed to exercise an immediate rematch, but it’s been a few weeks and there has been no word from Okolie on the clause being invoked.
Back in late 2021, Canelo’s manager appeared at the WBC’s annual convention and submitted a request for the sanctioning body to approve a potential fight with their cruiserweight world champion, who at the time was Ilunga Makabu.
The fight was being talked about for May of 2022, but it never came off, as Canelo decided to target WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol.
Canelo and his manager have not ruled out the possibility of revisiting the idea of challenging a cruiserweight world champion.
“Canelo Alvarez has talked about coming up to cruiserweight,” said Billam-Smith to BBC South Today.
“It’s a big-money fight whoever fights Canelo and no Brit has come close to beating him yet. Maybe I could be the one to do that. That’s the sort of fight that could happen in Vegas if he wanted to come up to cruiserweight.
“I don’t know exactly what is next for me but I need to get the stitches out from around my eye. I will start running again this week and get back punching next month. I have to train even harder now because it’s easier to win a belt than to keep it.”
Another goal on Billam-Smith’s list – is to showcase his skills in the fight capital of the world – Las Vegas, Nevada.
“I love the idea of fighting in Vegas. There are no [cruiserweight] world champions over there at the moment, in the United States or Mexico, but we will see how it pans out,” Billam-Smith.