Bournemouth, England’s Chris Billam-Smith even exceeded our expectations with a comfortable unanimous points victory against London’s Richard Riakporhe at Crystal Palace association football stadium on Saturday (June 15).
Through an excellent display of ring generalship, pressure and shot selection he kept the previously undefeated puncher Riakporhe from detonating his heavy shots, which in recent contests had blown away most of his opponents. He was never able to land with full impact on the champion’s chin.
In a fairly even contest in the opening rounds, by round eight the die had been cast and future fight pattern established. The more compact Billam-Smith had narrowly gained most of the early rounds by systematic pressure and landing the more solid shots. Carefully being close enough to the tall and rangy Riakporhe and not allowing him the distance he needed to get maximum leverage and impact on his punches. If ever there was a way to fight a man with a longer reach and good jab this was exhibited on the night.
Most surprising was the difference in engine of the two fighters; with the challenger visibly blowing and gulping between rounds compared to the apparently fresher champion, who although with the more facial damage, was the more comfortable with the fight pace and, clearly the way it was going.
The final scores were inevitable with 116-111, 115-112, 115-112 in favour of the Bournemouth man. There was a view that they could have been even wider.
Billam-Smith (20-1, 13 KOs) made the second successful defence of his WBO middleweight title and is now vying for unification fights to cement his status as the 14st, 4lbs/200lbs world supremo. Lucrative chances await against Australia’s Jai Opetaia (25-0, 19 KOs), The Ring magazine champion and thus rightly considered the dominant cruiserweight. Also possibly for Billam-Smith an outing stateside against Gilberto Ramirez (46-1, 30 KOs). In the post-fight interview on Saturday it would seem Las Vegas is his preferred destination. Any why not ? He would certainly take a fanbase of Brits and he enhanced his ringside persona as ‘The Gentleman’.
‘The Midnight Train’ Riakporhe (17-1, 13 KOs) is now licking his wounds after taking a reversal from his previous victory over Billam-Smith five years ago. This is an undoubted setback but his record and quality is such that he can come again. The aura of invincibility is though no more.
Chief support on the undercard saw Ben Whittaker (7-0, 5 KOs) show his usual quality and showboating, but had to tough out a unanimous points, albeit shutout victory, against previously undefeated Nigerian Ezra Arenyeka (12-1, 10 KOs). ‘The Surgeon’ Whittaker will go onto bigger things and paydays for sure. As he improves his opposition he will likely be forced to eliminate a lot of the showboating, but that makes him box office for now.
British boxing is hoping for a continued bright future for the Wolverhampton man as he steps up in class. Saturday night though in SW London was Billam-Smith’s night.
The Undisputed 