Bournemouth cruiserweight Chris Billam-Smith remains a target for fellow contender Robin Safar.

England’s former WBO champion has not boxed since an April 2025 win over Brandon Glanton and Safar believes a bout between the two well-ranked contenders is a logical fit for both.

Safar had been linked to an early 2026 fight with Zurdo Ramirez, but Safar was recovering from a damaged knuckle and rather than push the bout back, Ramirez – or his team – opted to wait for his May date with light-heavyweight David Benavidez.

Ramirez holds the WBO and WBA belts at 200lbs, Noel Mikaelian has the WBC title and Jai Opetaia is the IBF beltholder.

Mikaelian won the WBC belt in December, defeating Safar’s Swedish compatriot Badou Jack.

“I would love to fight Mikaelian, and I felt bad for Badou,” said Safar. “He didn't look too good in that fight.”
Safar was ringside watching in Los Angeles, and Safar’s manager, Kevin Mubenga said they were looking closely.

“We watched it in person. We got a real good look at Noel, and hence why Rob was already aligning himself to try to fight [leading WBC contender] Ryan Rozicki to put himself in a position, essentially another mandatory position, right? So we tried to reach out to Rozicki and his team to try to make the fight. Rozicki had the inside lane, so to speak, with the WBC, because he was basically in waiting in that position. We tried to make it happen. And I believe Ryan decided to take an easier fight because he didn't need to fight. 

“He doesn't have to fight Rob. He didn't need to fight Rob and he took the route, which was easy. He's fighting, I believe, a guy that's 13 and two or 12 and three or something like that [Gerardo Mellado on March 7, Mellado is 12-4]. And then, [if] he wins that in March, he [Rozicki] moves on in a mandatory position.”

But that means Safar, 19-0 (13 KOs), still needs a fight. The 33-year-old Las Vegas-based Swede outscored Derrick Miller at the end of 2025.

And Safar and Mubenga keep coming back to Billam-Smith as a logical opponent. Apparently, Safar’s promoters at Golden Boy like the fight, too.

“We spoke with Oscar [De La Hoya] about it. They love the fight, first of all,” Mubenga continued. “Golden Boy loves that fight. Oscar said in an interview something very important. He said, ‘Rob's next fight needs to be with a guy like Chris Billam-Smith, in that position. And that makes a lot of sense. He's number three by the Ring Magazine. Rob's number eight by the Ring Magazine. Rob's number four by the WBO, Chris is number five by the WBO. Chris is number three or four by the IBF, Rob is number eight by the IBF. So we're kind of like circling each other, essentially, politically. He's a free agent. We're talking. 

“I'm hoping that Chris wants this fight as much as we want it. And he's willing to wait and negotiate instead of jumping straight into something that he could do back home in that arena [in Bournemouth]. I know he has that option, but I don't see why he wouldn't want to come to Vegas and fight on the Ryan Garcia versus Mario Barrios card for an eliminator for good money on a Ring card now, right? That's a Ring Magazine card [on February 21] now. It's not a Golden Boy versus a PBC card. It's a Ring Magazine card. Rob has fought for the Ring. Chris has fought for the Ring. They're both ranked by the Ring. And it's a great fight. So let's see what happens, let's see how this thing plays out in the next few weeks.”

If a spot on that T-Mobile, Las Vegas show cannot be consolidated, Safar is open to travelling to England for the bout.

“I would like to fight in England,” Safar added. I feel like the fans, they are nice, and I'm from Europe, bro. Come on, man. I'm European. I fought in England before, but never on a pro show. I love the atmosphere over there. People really love boxing.”

Mubenga added: “We want to fight him on that ring February 21st card. And if that's not possible, then if that [a fight in England] can happen in March, then that's possible, too. Either way, we like him. There's nothing in March yet for us. So if he [Billam-Smith] does go back to Boxxer and does the BBC fight in March, and in late February, then if we don't get that big card together in February 21st, we'll entertain that conversation.”