Chris Billam-Smith credits Cheavon Clarke defeat for his world title success

Chris Billam-Smith believes he might never have become a world champion had he not lost to Cheavon Clarke in the amateur ranks a decade ago.

Billam-Smith, who faces Clarke on Saturday at London's Copper Box Arena, was beaten by his future professional rival in the final of the 2016 elite amateur championships. Both fighters subsequently attended an assessment for the Great Britain squad, but it was Clarke who secured a place and eventually represented his country at the Olympic Games.

Billam-Smith, meanwhile, took a different route, turning professional and linking up with trainer Shane McGuigan. At the time, Billam-Smith was not expected to progress much beyond domestic level.

In 2023, however, he upset Lawrence Okolie to win the WBO cruiserweight title.

Reflecting on that amateur defeat during a live face-off interview with Sky Sports’ Andy Scott, Billam-Smith acknowledged that the setback might have been crucial to his subsequent success.

After opting to turn professional, with little fanfare, Billam-Smith had to work hard to convince coach Shane McGuigan to take a chance on him.

"I probably never would have ended up training with Shane [McGuigan]. Shane is genuinely the only coach out there that would have got the best out of me," Billam-Smith said.

The pair came face to face ahead of their professional showdown, with Clarke declining an offer to shake hands with his former amateur opponent in the opening moments of the broadcast.

“Let’s leave it [the handshake] until after the fight,” Clarke said.

"It's time for us to get it on now."

Clarke, 12-2 (9 KOs), enters the contest having survived two knockdowns to stop Jack Massey in his most recent outing. The wild bout was eventually won in seven rounds.