Ryan Rozicki is leaving no stone unturned in his quest to disclaim Chris Billam-Smith a hometown victory on Saturday, even taking his preparation to the breakfast room forward of their cruiserweight conflict.
Former world champion Billam-Smith eyes a giant efficiency on the Bournemouth Worldwide Centre to push again into title competition, with a showdown towards Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight world champion Jai Opetaia probably awaiting the winner.
Billam-Smith ends his 14-month absence from the ring with a probable bruising encounter towards Rozicki, the hard-hitting Canadian who has seen 20 of his 21 skilled victories come by way of knockout.
Each cruiserweights are staying in the identical Bournemouth-based lodge forward of Saturday’s card, Zuffa Boxing’s first promotion exterior of the UK, with Rozicki noticed earlier this week by Billam-Smith taking a more in-depth take a look at his opponent.
“At breakfast [on Tuesday], I’ve seen him with a video – I think they were analysing my fights, it looked like,” Billam-Smith instructed Sky Sports activities. “I actually simply seemed round at breakfast and seen them with a laptop computer or no matter in entrance of them, however that does not trouble me.
“Lots of people that will trouble, however I do not know what battle they’re watching and I will be very totally different to loads of their fights. I will be boxing totally different to any battle I’ve boxed earlier than and I’ve added quite a bit to my recreation.
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Cruiserweights Billam-Smith and Rozicki predict huge knockouts forward of their enormous conflict within the Zuffa Boxing Present in Bournemouth on Saturday
“It doesn’t really matter because once you’re in there with me, it’s different – you have to feel it.”
Rozicki confirmed the incident to Sky Sports activities however refused to disclose the footage of Billam-Smith they had been watching, with the 31-year-old absolutely ready for the problem he expects to face in Saturday’s most important occasion.
“I don’t want to overlook Chris [Billam-Smith] – he’s a world champion,” Rozicki instructed Sky Sports activities. “As soon as anyone has a world title and so they’ve defended it, to me, they’re at all times classed as a world champion.
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Talking final month, Bournemouth-born fighter Billam-Smith promised ‘fireworks’ in his dwelling battle towards Rozicki
“So when I look at him, I see a world champion in front of me. I don’t take anything from him. I only give him credit. I don’t look at his bad performances, I only look at his good performances.
“I solely consider him when he was at his finest. Is there an element at the back of my thoughts that appears at him and thinks, I might cave this man’s cranium in if I hit him? Yeah, however I do not let that on the entrance.
“When the bell rings, those thoughts can come to the front.”
Billam-Smith has solely had one battle since shedding to Gilberto Ramirez by unanimous determination in November 2024, beating Brandon Glanton on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium final April, with the Englishman assured about seeing off Rozicki this weekend.
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Highlights from Gilberto Ramirez’s conflict with Billam-Smith for the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles
“I watch a little bit [of an opponent’s past fights] here and there, usually nearer the fight,” Billam-Smith added. “We’ve watched bits through camp and I’ve watched bits through camp.
“The extra I watch with him, the extra assured I get. On the identical time, that tells me, am I lacking one thing? He has bought a brand new coach, so he can adapt and I am anticipating a special model of him. And I’ve bought to adapt on the evening as nicely.
“By the time I get a lot of my work off, he’ll just revert back to type anyway. That will be key – getting that out of him, reverting back to type – and then I can be good to go.”
Watch Zuffa Boxing 07 this Saturday reside on Sky Sports activities, with early protection streamed from 5pm forward of reside motion on Sky Sports activities Motion, Sky Sports activities Major Occasion and Sky One from 7pm. Get Sky Sports activities or stream boxing with no contract.
