Chris Billam-Smith says British rival Richard Riakporhe "didn't stand out" in his last performance against mutual opponent Dylan Bregeon; WBO world champion Billam-Smith must focus on dangerous challenger Mateusz Masternak as he defends his title this Sunday, live on Sky Sports
Monday 4 December 2023 17:15, UK
Chris Billam-Smith will not worry about a prospective fight with Richard Riakporhe when he has the dangerous threat of Mateusz Masternak to contend with on Sunday.
Billam-Smith makes his first defence of the WBO cruiserweight world title against Masternak on Sunday December 10, live on Sky Sports.
The winner of this fight can expect Riakporhe, the No 1-ranked contender with the WBO, to be called as a mandatory challenger.
Riakporhe served another reminder of the threat he poses when he took out Dylan Bregeon in just two rounds last month. Bregeon had previously gone the full 12 rounds with Billam-Smith in a European title fight.
But the Londoner's most recent performance made little impression on Billam-Smith.
"I think he has improved in some areas since we boxed but the last performance didn't stand out in terms of anything special compared to other performances he's had in the last two, three fights," the Bournemouth man told Sky Sports.
"I'm aware of Richard's strengths and his punch power and things like that. But I believe I've improved a lot more than he has since our first fight. That will be the telling factor if we ever boxed."
Billam-Smith would welcome the chance to avenge his only pro defeat in a rematch with Riakporhe. But he points out that after they fought, while he has gone on to win a world title, Riakporhe has not managed to do so.
"I thought it would make more sense to do it [a Riakporhe rematch] for a unification. For everyone's sake, for my sake, for Richard's sake, for Sky, for BOXXER, it would be a huge fight as a unification," the WBO titlist said.
"It's still a big fight nonetheless. A bit of history there, so a fight down the line for sure."
But Billam-Smith will not waste much energy dwelling on that possibility when he knows he will have his hands full in his fight with Masternak on Sunday.
"He's very good in all areas and he's hard to put a dent in. Some people you can figure them out and know that you'll get to them and hurt them at some point, but as far as I'm concerned I don't think he's ever been dropped as a pro," Billam-Smith said.
"When he got stopped by [Grigory] Drozd [in 2013] he got stopped on his feet and I don't think he was dropped in that fight. It's crazy to think that, in 52 fights. There's not many people who go through their careers without getting dropped.
"There's a level of caution there in that sense. You can't just go gung-ho on someone like that. He's very well rounded, he's always firing back. He's got good feet and good punch power.
"It's my hardest fight to date for sure."
Watch Chris Billam-Smith vs Mateusz Masternak on Sunday live on Sky Sports Arena from 6pm
