Cruiserweight Bout Set for North London as Billam-Smith Takes on Glanton
In a significant cruiserweight contest, Richard Billam-Smith will face off against Joey Glanton in north London on the undercard of Chris Eubank Jr v Conor Benn. According to a report by the BBC, Billam-Smith is looking to get back to winning ways after a break following his defeat last year.
The BBC reports that Billam-Smith, ranked fourth in the WBC cruiserweight rankings, will take on Glanton, who has an identical record of 20 wins and two losses. This contest is a significant one, as it pits the fifth and fourth-ranked fighters in the WBC cruiserweight rankings against each other, with Billam-Smith holding the higher ranking.
Billam-Smith is no stranger to Glanton, having encountered him previously. As the BBC notes, Glanton attended the fight week prior to Billam-Smith’s bout with Lawrence Okolie in 2023 and was filmed calling out Isaac Chamberlain and Billam-Smith on Bournemouth Pier.
A win for Billam-Smith could propel him to a title shot, with WBC champion Badou Jack set to defend his title against Noel Mikaelian early next month. The BBC quotes Billam-Smith as saying, "If I can get one of the other belts like the WBC title then maybe we can get the rematch with Zurdo [Ramirez] on, I’d love that." He added, "At the moment, Jai Opetaia [IBF champion] and Ramirez are on a collision course so that leaves Badou Jack, we’ll see."
The BBC also reports that Billam-Smith is confident of a win, stating, "Glanton is definitely tough but I believe I’ll hurt him, we’ve seen him get hurt in fights before, I think I’ll do a number on him if he can stay in there or not we’ll find out on the night." Glanton, however, has a formidable record, with 17 of his 20 wins coming by way of knockout. Since suffering two defeats, he has won his last three fights in convincing fashion.
As the BBC notes, Billam-Smith returned to training at the start of the year after taking a break following his defeat. A win over Glanton would be a significant step towards achieving his goal of becoming a world champion. The bout is set to take place on a high-profile undercard, with Chris Eubank Jr facing off against Conor Benn in the main event.
The upcoming contest between Billam-Smith and Glanton has generated significant interest in the boxing world, with many pundits expecting a closely contested fight. With both fighters holding identical records and ranking, this bout promises to be an exciting and closely contested encounter.
According to the BBC, this fight has the potential to set up a potential title shot for the winner, making it a crucial bout for both fighters.
