Last week, the WBO announced its intent to create an interim championship in the cruiserweight division. The sanctioning body issued a letter directing former champion Chris Billam-Smith of England and Roman Fress, who fights out of Germany, to begin a thirty-day negotiation period. Billam-Smith (pictured) is 21-2 and held the WBO title in 2023 and 2024. He lost the title in a unification bout to Gilberto Ramirez, who is now injured. Since that loss, Billam-Smith won a bruising comeback fight against the respected Brandon Glanton. Fress is 23-1 with a resume full of opponents who had good records but are mostly unknown.