Ryan Rozicki says Chris Billam-Smith is making a mistake by publicly plotting a future showdown with Jai Opetaia — and he warns Billam-Smith not to underestimate him. The two collide on June 6 in Billam-Smith’s Bournemouth backyard, live on Sky Sports.
Rozicki, the hard-hitting Nova Scotia contender, reacted sharply after Billam-Smith suggested a win could set up a clash with Opetaia, widely considered the division’s leading cruiserweight. “I think it’s a mistake,” Rozicki told Sky Sports. “He’s answering questions, but the way he’s responding shows they’ve already got their eyes set on Jai, on bigger fights than me. I don’t think you should ever look past somebody like me. If he switches off for even a fraction of a second, then he’ll be switched off.”
Stressing focus and aggression, Rozicki added that his plan is simple: come out in round one and land clean shots on Billam-Smith’s head, keep connecting and force the finish.
Billam-Smith, however, insists he’s not discounting Rozicki. The WBO cruiserweight champion — who also holds British, Commonwealth and European honours — says planning beyond a single fight is part of his method. “People believe that talking about future opposition is looking past an opponent. But there’s something in psychology where you also need to plan ahead,” he told Sky Sports, explaining that having a roadmap keeps him motivated and prevents his preparation from feeling like an end point.
He framed his approach as compartmentalised: train and focus for the immediate challenge while allowing awareness of future goals to drive standards in camp. Billam-Smith argued this mindset helped him prepare differently for fights that lead to bigger opportunities.
Also on the June 6 card, home favourite Lee Cutler — Zuffa Boxing’s newest signee — returns at the Bournemouth International Centre. The 15-2 (7) super-welterweight is undefeated at home (10-0) and captured the English title at the BIC in 2023. Cutler rode an eight-fight winning streak until a close technical decision defeat to Sam Eggington in April.
Sky Sports is running a 24-hour pre-sale for tickets to Chris Billam-Smith vs Ryan Rozicki. Use the code SKYBOXING to access the pre-sale before general ticket sales open.