Based on prime cruiserweight contender Chris Billam-Smith, his home rival Richard Riakporhe turned down the potential for a rematch – rejecting the situation of combating earlier than a Bournemouth crowd.
Billam-Smith has rebuilt his profession after struggling a detailed factors loss to Riakporhe in July 2019. Earlier this month he brutally knocked out Armend Xhoxhaj on the Bournemouth Worldwide Centre.
Riakporhe (15-0, 11 KOs), who was ringside for Billam-Smith’s latest struggle, believes he would have received by a knockout inside three rounds that night time.
“He’ll say what he will say,” mentioned Billam-Smith mentioned to Sky Sports activities. “He had the chance to struggle me [earlier this month] and sadly, he turned it down.
“We agreed to it, I heard that he did not need to struggle me in Bournemouth. He noticed the environment final day trip, so possibly that put him off a bit of bit. He had the chance, however he did not take it, so phrases are one factor, actions are one other.”
Billam-Smith is angling for a world title shot in 2023. The titles are at the moment held by Arsen Goulamirian (WBA), Ilunga Makabu (WBC), Jai Opetaia (IBF) and Lawrence Okolie (WBO).
There’s some dialogue about matching Billam-Smith with Opetaia. Riakporhe has been calling for a crack at Okolie, who has a compulsory protection in March towards David Mild.
Billam-Smith may see each he and Riakporhe profitable world titles after which circling again to struggle one another sooner or later.
“I feel now our eyes are set on a world title shot, so we’ll go away and win a world title,” Billam-Smith mentioned.
“Hopefully he can do the identical after which we are able to get the rematch on each as world champions and make it an enormous, enormous struggle.”