Experts have their say ahead of Chris Billam-Smith vs Cheavon Clarke, live on Sky Sports from 7pm.
George Groves (former world champion)
Cheavon beat him as an amateur and he is a better boxer than Chris Billam-Smith. But I can’t see him beating Chris Billam-Smith. Chris had a bit of time out of the ring after the Gilberto Ramirez fight. But I think through this period he’s maybe just refreshed himself a little bit. I feel he’s coming to this fight a little bit fresher than Chev Clarke.
It’s a great fight. Chris is a bit of a nightmare to fight. He just keeps coming, you can be clearly outboxing him but he’s just going to keep coming and maybe that’s not what Chev needs right now.
Chev is fast, Chev’s a really good boxer, he’s got good handspeed, he’s got good ring IQ and we know Chev can get up off the floor, he can dig deep when he has to. It’s a really good interesting fight. I make Chris Billam-Smith the favourite but you still can’t right off Cheavon Clarke.
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Chev Clarke refuses to shake Chris Billam-Smith’s hand ahead of their Zuffa Boxing 12 main event this Saturday.
Viddal Riley (European champion)
The fight is definitely more level than what we’ve seen and what people are saying. I think Chris gets the win but early on it’s going to be extremely difficult for him. Chev’s a very sharp, compact, accurate puncher, puts punches together and I think while Chris is trying to find his rhythm and get the timing and waiting for Chev to slow down, it’s going to be hard for him.
From the halfway point when it turns more toe to toe, more of a war, it will lean into Chris’ favour. So I think Chris will come out on a points decision victory.
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Speaking on Toe 2 Toe podcast, European cruiserweight champion Viddal Riley predicts a close fight between Chris Billam-Smith and Chev Clarke at Zuffa Boxing 12.
Joshua Buatsi (world title challenger)
They boxed in the amateurs twice, Chev won both but as we know the amateurs is a sprint. A 10-round fight is more of a marathon. It’ll be interesting to see how that plays out and who can do better over longer duration. Chris is a former world champion. He’s shown he can operate at that level. What we’ve seen from Chev, he’s shown something I think is very special. When he was down twice against Massey, he showed something that you can’t teach, something that you have it in you or not and I think that will always carry him.
I back Chev to win, that’s my guy hands down.
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Chris Billam-Smith and Chev Clarke share a first fight week face-off ahead of their Zuffa Boxing 12 clash on Saturday.
Dan Azeez (former European champion)
I’m going to go with Chris Billam-Smith. I think Chev is a great fighter, and fair play to him for getting off the canvas to beat Jack Massey. But Billam-Smith looks confident, and I think he might just be a little too sharp and tidy for Chev. That’s my feeling, if I’m honest.
I think CBS maybe late stoppage.
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Watch back to when Chris Billam-Smith and Cheavon Clarke faced each other in their amateur bout more than ten years ago.
Connal McDonald (Scottish champion)
Genuine 50-50 fight. I think Chris Billam-Smith’s a great boxer but I think he gets dragged into brawls when he could probably box a bit more. I think this will probably be fight of the year because I think both guys will look at this as their ticket back straightaway to major honours and maybe even a chance at Jai Opetaia.
I would say Billam-Smith majority decision.
Watch Chris Billam-Smith vs Cheavon Clarke tonight from 7pm live on Sky Sports.