Chris Billam-Smith Faces Chev Clarke in Cruiserweight Grudge Match on Zuffa Boxing 12
Chris Billam-Smith gets a chance to avenge two amateur losses to Chev Clarke on November 7 at the Copper Box Arena in London.
Chris Billam-Smith will headline Zuffa Boxing 12 against Chev Clarke on November 7 at the Copper Box Arena in London, per Boxing News 24. The 12-round cruiserweight bout will stream on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and Paramount+ in the US and Canada.
Billam-Smith (22-2, 14 KOs) is coming off a rough stretch. The 36-year-old former world titleholder lost his belt to Gilberto Ramirez, then fought Ryan Rozicki in June. He won that one when Rozicki did not come out for the eighth round, but Billam-Smith required hospitalization afterward. The wear is starting to show.
Clarke (12-2, 9 KOs) is 35 and entered the professional ranks late after competing at the Tokyo Olympics. He looked vulnerable as recently as July, getting dropped twice in the fourth round against Jack Massey before recovering and stopping Massey in the seventh. That fight was on the same card as Billam-Smith's win over Rozicki.
The backstory adds spice. Clarke beat Billam-Smith twice as amateurs under an older scoring format. Billam-Smith now gets a chance to settle the score as professionals, though the circumstances are not ideal. He is on the wrong side of 35, coming off a hospitalization, and facing a fighter whose short-range power could exploit his aggressive, physical style.
Billam-Smith likes to make fights ugly. He works the ropes, leans on opponents, and turns bouts into wars of attrition. That approach carries more risk against a puncher like Clarke, who showed against Massey that he can recover from adversity and finish fights.
This is a fun fight with real stakes, but I am a little concerned for Billam-Smith. The hospitalization after the Rozicki fight is a red flag you cannot ignore. He is 36, he has been in wars, and his style guarantees he takes punishment every time out. At some point the body stops cooperating.
Clarke is dangerous in spots. Those two knockdowns against Massey showed he can be hurt, but the comeback and stoppage showed heart and finishing ability. His short-range power is exactly the kind of thing that troubles Billam-Smith, who likes to fight on the inside where clean shots are harder to avoid.
The amateur history matters for Clarke's confidence. He already knows he can beat this guy. Two wins, even under a different format, give you a psychological edge walking into the ring. Billam-Smith has to prove things have changed since then.
I lean Billam-Smith on experience, but this is closer than the names suggest. If Clarke catches him clean early, the accumulated damage could become the story.
https://www.boxingnews24.com/2026/09/chris-billam-smith-risks-his-comeback-against-chev-clarke/
