Cheavon Clarke confident of repeating amateur success against Chris Billam-Smith

Cheavon Clarke, twice the victor over Chris Billam-Smith in the amateur ranks, is confident of repeating that success when they meet for the first time as professionals on November 7.

Clarke went on to represent Great Britain at the Tokyo Olympics, but it is Billam-Smith, a former WBO cruiserweight titleholder, who has scaled greater heights in the paid ranks.

Both fighters were last in action on the same Zuffa Boxing bill in June, when they emerged victorious from thrilling contests.

Billam-Smith, 22-2 (14 KOs), outlasted the astonishingly tough Ryan Rozicki, while Clarke, 12-2 (9 KOs), recovered from two knockdowns to defeat Jack Massey.

"People talk about the knockdowns and that's all great," Clarke told Sky Sports about the Massey fight. "He wasn't dictating the pace, I was dictating the pace. He was moving because I wanted him to move there.

"He caught me with a shot, fair play, he tried to finish me and that didn't work out. I then had to adjust. I adjusted and then I got the victory.

“I think that shows my calibre. I'm able to adjust. I'm able to manouevre, think on the spot and get the job done."

Clarke is back on track after consecutive defeats to Leonardo Mosquea and Viddal Riley in December 2024 and April 2025, respectively.

Matching him with Billam-Smith, following their victories in June, would appear to reflect the philosophy Zuffa brought into the sport: competitive matchups in which the winner moves forward.

Billam-Smith, however, will start as the favorite.

"The bull's always driven - but they get tamed. He'll come out with his tactics and everyone has a plan until they get in the ring. On the night we'll see," Clarke countered.

"He's a former world champion so you have to give credit where it's due. But regardless I know what my ability is, I've been given a gift. It's wrong for me not to fulfil that gift. So come November 7 we will see.

"We've changed so much as fighters in that time, we've evolved. Of course we fought in the past but that was in the amateurs.

"He's become a world champion, I've done my thing. Funnily enough it's actually a decade since we fought."