26 May 2023 , 13:17
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Bournemouth is not fertile ground for world champions. Freddie Mills, former light heavyweight world champion, might just have company on Saturday night in the shape of cruiserweight Chris Billam-Smith.
Fearless Freddie won the title at White City in 1948 and held it for a year before losing it against fellow Brit Bruce Woodcock in the same arena.
Billam-Smith is hoping home advantage at his beloved Vitality Stadium will swing the domestic showdown against WBO champion Lawrence Okolie his way.
Just to be challenging for a world title is a real Cinderella story for an old school fighter who has come up the hard way. Billam-Smith wasn’t a stellar amateur. He had two trials for the GB team and didn’t make the squad. As a pro he has worked himself to the bone to get this far.
In that sense his journey is not unlike that of Mills, an unfashionable fighter who loved the game and never gave up. Billam-Smith is the one guy in the gym who empties the tank every time. Okolie knows all about that from his time in our stable. They sparred many times.
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Okolie will tell you he had the better of it. Billam-Smith won’t care about that. He comes to life under lights, a real big-time performer. The same cannot always be said of Okolie, who is often in dull fights. No doubt Okolie starts favourite but don’t count out the hometown boy.
The Gentleman desperately wants to win this. And if he can stay out of trouble in the early rounds he has a great chance. He has to tuck up and be watchful, taking care not to get hit. Then by halfway start to close down the ring and put the pressure on Okolie.
Billam-Smith can upset the odds this weekendOkolie is 6ft 5ins with a long reach. He is very good at distance. He hits hard with the right hand and has a decent left hook. He can be difficult to beat if you allow him to dictate. But he can be apprehensive. He grabs like a vice when opponents get close.
Okolie tries to get you to switch off then catches opponents with a big shot. Billam-Smith knows he is the outsider, but he has been an underdog his whole career.
Nothing has been expected of him yet here he is fighting for a world title, his only defeat a controversial, split-decision loss to Richard Riakporhe four years ago.
If he boxes intelligently and keeps the emotions in check he could yet bring a trophy to the Vitality.
Follow Barry on Twitter at @ClonesCyclone @mcguigans_gym