Cheavon Clarke backs himself to beat Chris Billam-Smith again on 7 November
The Tokyo Olympian, who twice beat Billam-Smith as an amateur, faces the former WBO cruiserweight titleholder as a professional for the first time after both men won on the same Zuffa Boxing bill in June.
Cheavon Clarke believes he can beat Chris Billam-Smith for a third time when the two British fighters meet as professionals for the first time on 7 November.
Clarke won both of their amateur contests and went on to box for Great Britain at the Tokyo Olympics. Billam-Smith has gone further in the paid ranks, winning the WBO cruiserweight title, and Clarke said he respected what his opponent had achieved. He said: “He's become a world champion, I've done my thing. Funnily enough it's actually a decade since we fought.” The fight follows wins for both men on the same Zuffa Boxing bill in June. Billam-Smith, 22-2 (14 KOs), got past Ryan Rozicki, while Clarke, 12-2 (9 KOs), beat Jack Massey.
That result put Clarke back on track after consecutive defeats to Leonardo Mosquea in December 2024 and Viddal Riley in April 2025. Speaking to Sky Sports about the Massey fight, Clarke said he had been dictating the pace before Massey caught him with a shot and tried to finish him, and that he then adjusted to win. He said: “I think that shows my calibre. I'm able to adjust. I'm able to manouevre, think on the spot and get the job done.” Clarke said he would not be thrown by whatever plan Billam-Smith brings. He said: “The bull's always driven - but they get tamed. He'll come out with his tactics and everyone has a plan until they get in the ring. On the night we'll see.” He added that, while Billam-Smith deserved credit as a former world champion, he knew his own ability and felt he had been given a gift that it would be wrong not to fulfil.
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