Chris Billam-Smith expects Badou Jack’s 35 professional fights and 42 years to catch up with him when on Saturday he defends his WBC cruiserweight title against Norair “Noel” Mikaeljan.
Jack and Mikaeljan on Saturday fight for the second time, at Ace Mission Studios in Los Angeles, seven months after the champion was awarded a majority decision on an evening for which Armenia’s Mikaeljan had only three weeks to prepare.
The 35-year-old Mikaeljan, will, according to England’s Billam-Smith – a divisional rival – improve on that performance, and potentially prove more willing than Jack has been to enter unification contests.
Billam-Smith is also, however, wary of Jack’s intelligence and experience, and against their combination believes that Mikaeljan will remain sufficiently “one-dimensional” that another close contest will follow.
“Jack’s durable, compact, has punch variety, and is consistent,” Billam-Smith told BoxingScene. “He’s a very good all rounder.
“But he’s got a lot of hard fights and camps under his belt. His movement and pace are also weaknesses.
“Mikaeljan’s strengths are his straight punches and counter-punching. But he can be a bit one-dimensional; there’s not much variety in his work.
“I expect Mikaeljan to be a lot fitter this time round as he has had longer to prepare, which I think would’ve had a big impact on the result of the first fight.
“It depends on their reactions to the first fight. I think Mikaeljan will be more driven, knowing he came close, and if he gives it everything will do enough to deserve the victory.
“Jack should also feel like he needs to up his game, but I think he is too long in the tooth and this isn’t the fight he really gets up for after the great career he’s had.
“I expect [Mikaeljan] to throw more; have more belief. But Jack is very experienced and smart, so if he studies the first fight he should be able to get a lot from it.”
According to Tasman Fighters’ Mick Francis, the promoter of the IBF champion Jai Opetaia, a contract exists for the winner of the fight between Sweden’s Jack and Mikaeljan to confront Opetaia in a unification contest in 2026, and asked which of the two he believes is likely to be more interested in testing themselves against their division’s recognised number one, Billam-Smith said: “Mikaeljan. The winner is probably in line to fight Opetaia – that’s what I would want in that position.
“It’s tough to pick. I’m going draw for the result but most spectators – not judges – will have Mikaeljan just pipping it.”
