Chris Billam-Smith reveals the ambition for 2023
The British cruise line is looking at four options.
Chris Billiam-Smith is aiming for a win over Armend Xhoxhaj on Saturday night as he prepares for another hometown fight.
The Briton will face his Kosovar opponent at the Bournemouth International Center and plans to move on from victory ahead of a bigger challenge in 2023.
“It’s good to watch a little bit, you might notice something in their padwork or their training, a little bit,” Billam-Smith said Sky Sports about their pre-fight training on Thursday.
“It’s good to watch, but you can’t take anything as gospel, especially from a pad practice, a public one, it’s where everybody’s trying to make themselves look good, or not give anything away or whatever.
“I love it, I like training, I like the weigh-ins. I’ve always liked it, but when it’s in my hometown and with the sound, it’s even more special.
“It’s part of the job, number one, you’ve got to do it so you might as well enjoy it.”
Arsen Goulamirian, Ilunga Makabu, Lawrence Okolie and Jai Opetaia are the current cruiserweight champions, and Billam-Smith hopes to fight one of them on the south coast next year.
“The motivation is huge,” he continued. “What’s next for me is a hometown fight for a world title in the arena of dreams. That’s the dangling carrot and that’s why I have to perform and why I can’t take my eye off this week and this event on Saturday night.
“[Xhoxhaj] can be dangerous if you are not powered up. He comes forward. He throws a lot of shots. He has a really good right hand. So it’s about staying on in this fight and performing really well and not giving anything away and controlling the fight from the very first moments.
“If you play with fire, you will get burned. That’s what I have to be aware of and not let him fight too much.
“I have to be able to adjust and adjust through the fight and do what’s right for me.”