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Canadian Cruiserweight Contender Ryan Rozicki Fires
Warning Shot At Chris Billam-Smith
Canadian cruiserweight contender Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki
(21-1-1, 20 KOs) has issued a warning to Chris “The
Gentleman” Billam-Smith (21-2, 13 KOs) in advance of their
June 6th showdown in Bournemouth, England.
The 10-round Smith-Billam vs. Rozicki bout will headline
Zuffa Boxing’s first event in the United Kingdom, which will
be held in the British fighter’s hometown.
Rozicki, 31, recently spent a week in England taking part in
media and promotional activities ahead of their highly
anticipated cruiserweight clash, which former world
cruiserweight champion Billam-Smith stated he has no
intention of approaching the fight with Rozicki the way
Yamil Peralta did twice, vowing to stand and fight.
“I feel like this is a big moment for my fans, promotion and
team,” Rozicki said. “I’m grateful for that but, for me,
personally, it’s just another fight. Chris said he’s not
going to run like Peralta did. I’m hoping he keeps his word,
but he probably won’t because it sounds too good to be true.
Either way, he’s in for the toughest night of his life.
Fighting, not boxing, is who I am and what I’m all about!”
Three Lions Promotions managing director Daniel Otter
sincerely believes Rozicki’’s constant pressure, dangerous
power, and old-school mentality will be the deciding factors
in this fan-friendly matchup.
“Being around Sky Sports’ promotional work for a week,”
Otter added, “you could see how dialed-in Ryan was from the
start. The pressure, the cameras, the attention – none of
that bothered Ryan for a second.
“I think Billam-Smith and his coach, Shane McGuigan, believe
they have this all figured out. They don’t! Ryan brings a
kind of pressure you cannot prepare for until you are locked
in the ring with him. They can talk about standing and
fighting all they want, but once Ryan starts walking Billam-Smith
down, we’ll see how long that lasts. You can only move for
so long. As the great Joe Louis famously said, ‘You can run
but you can’t hide.”
As Rozicki continues his mission to become the first
Canadian-born World Cruiserweight Champion, much more is at
risk because the winner of Smith-Billam vs. Rozicki will be
in line to challenge Zuffa Boxing and Ring Magazine’s World
Cruiserweight Champion, Jai Opetaia (30-0, 23 KOs).
They are two of the highest-rated world cruiserweight
contenders – Billam-Smith: #3 Ring Magazine & IBF, #4 WBC &
WBA, #5 WBO; Rozicki: #1 WBC, #6 Ring Magazine, #8 WBA, #11
IBF.
Smith-Billam held the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Junior
Heavyweight (Cruiserweight) World title from 2023 to 2024,
in order, including victories, over 19-0 Lawrence Okolie
(DEC12), 47-5 Mateusz Masternak (RTD8), and 17-0 Richard
Riakporhe (DEC12) in a rematch that avenged his lone loss at
that point. Smith-Billam’s crown was taken by 46-1 Gilberto
“Zurdo” Ramirez in Saudi Arabia by way of a 12-round
unanimous decision (116-112 X2, 116-113), in which the tough
Brit reportedly suffered a broken right thumb, fractured
left hand, multiple stitches inside and outside of his left
eye, along with damaged ribs.
Rozicki hasn’t fought on an international stage like he will
against Billam-Smith. His only loss was in 2021, when he
moved up one weight class to fight Olympian Oscar Rivas
(27-1) – spotting the Colombian 20 pounds -- for the
inaugural WBA Bridgerweight Championship match. Rivas won by
scores of 115-112 twice and 116-111. Ryan defeated the
aforementioned Peralta in 2022 by way of a 10-round split
decision in addition to their 12-round majority draw in
2024.
Rozicki has never fought on an international stage like he
will on June 6th in Bournemouth, which will be broadcast on
Sky Sports, and this career-changing opportunity for Rozicki
to make a statement that he is a major player in the
cruiserweight division.
“Mark my words,” Otter predicted, “on June 6 the boxing
world is going to discover one of boxing’s best kept
secrets, Ryan Rozicki.”
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