Chris Billam-Smith vs Gilberto Ramirez LIVE: UK start time, undercard and how to follow as The Gentleman looks to unify division
Chris Billam-Smith will look to add the WBA cruiserweight title to his collection when he takes on Gilberto Ramirez this evening. ‘The Gentleman’ will put his WBO belt on the line for the third time after seeing off Mateusz Masternak and Richard Riakporhe. Billam-Smith is looking to add another title to his collectionBOXXER Billam-Smith boasts a 20-1-0 record, with 13 knockouts, and now will finally get his chance at unifying the cruiserweight world titles. Meanwhile, his opponent Ramirez is a two-division world champion and has a long career behind him. The 33-year-old has won 46 of his 47 fights, so this is set to be the biggest fight of Billam-Smith’s career. Billam-Smith vs Ramirez: Date and how to follow This 12-round world title clash is set to take place tonight. It is set to be held at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main card is scheduled to get going at 5pm UK time, with the main event ringwalk start time to be confirmed in due course. It is set to be shown on DAZN for no additional cost. This means people in the UK can watch this fight for the standard subscription cost. There is an annual subscription available for an £89.99 lump sum, and a monthly subscription for £16.66. More details here. talkSPORT will have all the build-up in fight week, and talkSPORT.com will have all the reaction. To tune in to talkSPORT through the website, click HERE for the live stream. You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM. Dmitry Bivol is the only man to beat RamirezMark Robinson/Matchroom Billam-Smith vs Ramirez: Undercard Subject to change MAIN EVENT: Gilberto Ramirez vs. Chris Billam-Smith – for WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles Oscar Collazo vs. Thammanoon Niyomtrong – for WBO mini-flyweight title Wiliam Zepeda Segura vs. Tevin Farmer – for WBC interim lightweight title Jose Carlos Ramirez vs. Arnold Barbosa Jr Oscar Duarte Jurado vs. Botirzhon Akhmedov Ziyad Almaayouf vs. Juan Carlos Ramirez Garcia Billam-Smith vs Ramirez: What has been said? Billam-Smith is hoping to become the first Brit since David Haye to unify the cruiserweight division. Speaking about that opportunity, he said: “It’s a fight I’m really excited for and a big opportunity for me. “I’m just glad it’s a unification fight. The last Brit to unify at cruiserweight was David Haye, who is someone I looked up to massively in terms of fighting style and how he dismantled his opponents. “It would be an honour to be a British unified world champion.” However, he is wary of his opponent, adding: “Zurdo is a southpaw and that brings its own problems. “I’m confident in fighting him but I’m not that experienced in fighting southpaws. He brings lots of different attributes, he’s super-tough and has a really good punch output. “I’d say I have more of an advantage being settled at the weight, but he has his advantages too as he’ll be used to faster guys as he’s come up through the weights. “It makes for a really intriguing fight and it’s a massive challenge for me. [Trainer] Shane [McGuigan] and I are already working on a gameplan. People saw a different side of me in my last fight but this time there will be even more surprise in what people see.”
Chris Billam-Smith will look to add the WBA cruiserweight title to his collection when he takes on Gilberto Ramirez this evening.
‘The Gentleman’ will put his WBO belt on the line for the third time after seeing off Mateusz Masternak and Richard Riakporhe.
Billam-Smith boasts a 20-1-0 record, with 13 knockouts, and now will finally get his chance at unifying the cruiserweight world titles.
Meanwhile, his opponent Ramirez is a two-division world champion and has a long career behind him.
The 33-year-old has won 46 of his 47 fights, so this is set to be the biggest fight of Billam-Smith’s career.
Billam-Smith vs Ramirez: Date and how to follow
This 12-round world title clash is set to take place tonight.
It is set to be held at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The main card is scheduled to get going at 5pm UK time, with the main event ringwalk start time to be confirmed in due course.
It is set to be shown on DAZN for no additional cost.
This means people in the UK can watch this fight for the standard subscription cost.
There is an annual subscription available for an £89.99 lump sum, and a monthly subscription for £16.66. More details here.
talkSPORT will have all the build-up in fight week, and talkSPORT.com will have all the reaction.
To tune in to talkSPORT through the website, click HERE for the live stream.
You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.
Billam-Smith vs Ramirez: Undercard
Subject to change
- MAIN EVENT: Gilberto Ramirez vs. Chris Billam-Smith – for WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles
- Oscar Collazo vs. Thammanoon Niyomtrong – for WBO mini-flyweight title
- Wiliam Zepeda Segura vs. Tevin Farmer – for WBC interim lightweight title
- Jose Carlos Ramirez vs. Arnold Barbosa Jr
- Oscar Duarte Jurado vs. Botirzhon Akhmedov
- Ziyad Almaayouf vs. Juan Carlos Ramirez Garcia
Billam-Smith vs Ramirez: What has been said?
Billam-Smith is hoping to become the first Brit since David Haye to unify the cruiserweight division.
Speaking about that opportunity, he said: “It’s a fight I’m really excited for and a big opportunity for me.
“I’m just glad it’s a unification fight. The last Brit to unify at cruiserweight was David Haye, who is someone I looked up to massively in terms of fighting style and how he dismantled his opponents.
“It would be an honour to be a British unified world champion.”
However, he is wary of his opponent, adding: “Zurdo is a southpaw and that brings its own problems.
“I’m confident in fighting him but I’m not that experienced in fighting southpaws. He brings lots of different attributes, he’s super-tough and has a really good punch output.
“I’d say I have more of an advantage being settled at the weight, but he has his advantages too as he’ll be used to faster guys as he’s come up through the weights.
“It makes for a really intriguing fight and it’s a massive challenge for me. [Trainer] Shane [McGuigan] and I are already working on a gameplan. People saw a different side of me in my last fight but this time there will be even more surprise in what people see.”
