Chris Billam-Smith: How ‘luxury’ fight week of home comforts has left boxer feeling ‘pressure’ for Bournemouth return | Boxing News

Family time in fight week is a privilege that boxers rarely get to experience but is a “luxury” that Chris Billam-Smith isn’t taking for granted ahead of his Bournemouth homecoming, live on Sky Sports.

Billam-Smith returns to the ring after a 14-month absence to headline Zuffa Boxing 07 – their first numbered event outside the United States, where the 35-year-old faces Canada’s hard-hitting Ryan Rozicki in a 10-round cruiserweight clash.

The former WBO cruiserweight champion is part of the main event at the Bournemouth International Centre, his first hometown fight since 2023, with the venue enabling him to enjoy different experiences compared to the build-up ahead of recent fights.

A pre-fight trim in the local barber and bonus bedtime at home with his two young children have been among the benefits for Billiam-Smith, who is wary of the “pressure” to deliver on Saturday night in front of a passionate Bournemouth crowd.

“Last time out I didn’t headline and before that I’d headlined a lot of shows, so it’s nice to be back headlining again,” Billam-Smith told Sky Sports. “Fighting at home is always a privilege and always an honour.

“All that pressure is stuff that switches you on and brings the best out of me, so I’m excited for that and that’s a real big positive. It [pressure] is because I’ve had a decent amount of time out of the ring, I’m in there with a dangerous fighter and I’m back at home.”

He later added: “I definitely feel much more pressure on this fight than I did the last one. I just wasn’t really invested in that. I don’t know what it was. Through camp and stuff I was doing what I needed to do in terms of training, but I just didn’t feel as bothered about the fight at all.

“This time it’s different – I feel a lot more bothered and very focused and excited.”

How family has kept Billam-Smith grounded for Rozicki

Billam-Smith has stayed in a neighbouring hotel for the days leading up to the fight, although has still set aside time with wife Mia and his two young boys – Frank and Bear – to switch off from the impending Rozicki test.

“It was so nice to go home last night and see the boys,” Billam-Smith revealed about Tuesday’s visit. “Bear, the youngest, was just about to get put to bed, so I got to quickly give him a kiss goodnight.

“Then me and Frank sat up and I watched him do his Lego, so that was nice. He was like ‘this is really fun, Daddy’. I was like: ‘What, having me here with you Lego?’ And he was like, ‘yeah’. That’s just amazing. Very lucky to have that moment last night and plenty more after the fight.

“It’s nice to be able to switch off. Nothing is expected of me from my wife – she knows it’s fight week, so it’s nice to be able to just do the bits I want to do.

“My four-year-old is very active and hyper and great fun, but you’re not always able to deal with that on fight week. It’s a real luxury to have that and have such a supportive wife to deal with all that when I can’t.”

‘I’m ready to go again’ – will Billam-Smith deliver on home soil?

Billam-Smith saw off Mateusz Masternak in his December 2023 bout at this week’s venue, his third career fight at the Bournemouth International Centre, then defended his WBO cruiserweight title against Richard Riakporhe at Selhurst Park the following summer.

He has only had one fight since losing to Gilberto Ramirez by unanimous decision in November 2024, beating Brandon Glanton by unanimous decision at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last April, but sees no scenario where he doesn’t defeat Rozicki.

“The Mateusz [Masternak] fight [in Bournemouth] wasn’t my best performance for the first five rounds, but then in the sixth and seventh I came into it,” Billam-Smith explained.

“I’ll be picking up where I left off in terms of the Bournemouth fight. Since then I’ve boxed away at Selhurst Park, boxed in Saudi and took a loss, so have learnt a lot from that.

“I had the comeback fight after that, which was something that I needed to happen. I went through a down period in my career mentally, wasn’t really that bothered about that fight or switched on or anything like that. I’ve since had a good break and ready to go again.”

On whether Rozicki can inflict Billam-Smith’s first career stoppage as a pro, the Englishman said: “Maybe he’s telling himself that but he’s right, because I would have won enough rounds to win the fight on points. I don’t read too much into it.

“He’s always come for the knockout – he has gone to points one once out of all his wins, so that’s just the way he fights. It’s not like anything different than before. I understand he’s got a new trainer, so he might have a different look about him, but that’s up to me to adapt to.

“I’ve visualised every possible version of the fight and every one of them I end up winning, so that’s all that matters.”

Watch Zuffa Boxing 07 this Saturday live on Sky Sports, with early coverage streamed from 5pm ahead of live action on Sky Sports Action, Sky Sports Main Event and Sky One from 7pm. Get Sky Sports or stream boxing with no contract.