Chris Billam-Smith insists he doesn’t need Lawrence Okolie’s advice and has promised a “fatigue” mental test for Isaac Chamberlain when the pair meet in Bournemouth on July 30.
It beckons as a potentially career-defining battle for the pair as they seek to establish themselves among the frontrunners of a loaded cruiser detachment.
Billam-Smith joined after a round of 16 TKO win over Tommy McCarthy, while Chamberlain returned to action for the first time since the knockout against Dilan Prasovic in the first round in December.
“Yes, I think (Chamberlain will be mentally tested.) It’s going to be very noisy, he’s obviously going to have a very hostile crowd towards him,” Billam-Smith told Sky Sports.
“That will be tested and I think we’ll find out overnight.
“I think every match that I have, every fight I have is tiring the opponent because of the way I fight and I think that’s one of my best attributes so I think it’s definitely tiring. Tired for him both mentally and physically.”
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Chris Billam-Smith says he is ‘unbeatable at home’ and is ‘100 per cent going out with a win’ over Isaac Chamberlain in his hometown of Bournemouth.
Billam-Smith worked with WBO cruiser class champion Lawrence Okolie, who notably beat Chamberlain via unanimous decision in 2018 after knocking out the Londoners in the first and sixth rounds.
Despite the history, Billam-Smith knows he will face another proposal in Chamberlain next Saturday.
“I haven’t spoken to him yet, we’ve said the fight is happening but there’s no game plan or anything like that,” added Billam-Smith.
“Lawrence is a different fighter now than when he fought, I’m sure Isaac is, but Lawrence and I are first and foremost very different fighters with very different styles and very different strengths. .
“For me, I’m just using my strengths and doing what I do best. Maybe we’ll have a conversation if it happens, but it’s not like I need to talk to him. “
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Isaac Chamberlain says he ‘will have to be in my game’ to beat Billam-Smith ahead of the Bournemouth game.
Chamberlain insists he ‘doesn’t care’ what his opponents say and is focused only on adding his 15th win to his record. A win, they both know, could take their careers to the next level.
“If he makes that mistake (watching Okolie fight) it’s his decision,” Chamberlain said.
“I am not responsible for what he is thinking or what he brings to the fight.
“I’m just responsible for my team and my progress and what I’m going to do tonight.
“I only care about my performance and my team’s performance and then if they think everything is fine then that’s full breath ahead.”
Promoter for new IBF cruiser class world champion Jai Opetaia recently told Sky Sports that the Australian is open to taking on the winner of the next Billam-Smith vs Chamberlain match.
“The world opened up for both of us after this fight,” Chamberlain said.
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