08 December 2023 , 12:18
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The Cinderella story continues on Sunday when Chris Billam-Smith defends his WBO cruiserweight title for the first time against Mateusz Masternak in his home town Bournemouth.
His is an astonishing tale that shows what you can achieve if you believe in yourself and put in the hard yards. Billam-Smith might box only twice a year these days but has been a fighter every day of his life and never out of the gym.
It is that dedication that got him through when everybody was telling him he wasn’t good enough as a kid. He never won a national title and was twice rejected by the GB amateur squad. Few gave him a chance against Lawrence Okolie. But we did. Trainer Shane McGuigan has added a new dimension to the complexity of fighting at close quarters, which has proved transformational.
He’s up against another really tough opponent. Masternak has been stopped just once in 52 fights. He’s 6ft 1ins, strong as a bull and heavy handed. Against a guy as solid as this you have to hit him with the jab all night long. In my experience you can never jab too much, especially against aggressive opponents.
Masternak likes to push you back, get on top of you. He will want to quieten the crowd and impress the judges. I expect him to engage right from the start, draw Billam-Smith into a real scrap. Billam-Smith just has to box his ears off, close him down, be the boss. But not gung-ho. Neat and tidy gets this done.
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Do everything right for 36 minutes. Keep your boxing together, lots of feints, get that jab off. It is the measuring tool that tees up the next shot, whatever that might be. Masternak has never fought for the world title but he has been in with the top class opponents, including Tony Bellew, Yuniel Dorticos and Jean Marc Mormeck.
Billam-Smith overcame Lawrence Okolie in May (PA)He has the greater experience but 52 fights is a lot, and that means wear and tear. His fights tend to go deep. He’s incredibly resilient but Billam-Smith has the tools to prevail. There is a thin line between brave and stupid. A hair’s breadth. Billam-Smith has to hit him hard and often but not let it become a slugfest.
Billam-Smith takes nothing for granted, and does not expect a thing. He’s had a long camp and is in the best shape of his career. Masternak is the mandatory. The goal is to land a big unification fight. Masternak stands in the way of that, so expect another great night on the south coast.
Follow Barry on Twitter at @ClonesCyclone @McGuigans_Gym