Chris Billam-Smith calls for Jai Opetaia fight next after bruising cruiserweight win over Ryan Rozicki in Bournemouth

Chris Billam-Smith has reiterated his desire to face Jai Opetaia ‘as soon as he can’ after his gruelling stoppage hometown victory over Ryan Rozicki in Bournemouth.

Billam-Smith claimed a bruising victory over the hard-hitting Canadian after an epic contest at the Bournemouth International Centre, where both fighters traded huge blows in a fight-of-the-year contender.

The former WBO cruiserweight champion secured the win via technical knockout when Rozicki was pulled out by his corner at the end of the seventh round, with Billam-Smith already turning his focus back to a future showdown with Opetaia.

Facing the unbeaten Australian cruiserweight has been earmarked a possibility since Billam-Smith first signed with Zuffa Boxing earlier this year, with the 35-year-old keen to make the contest happen.