Chris Billam-Smith TKO7 Ryan Rozicki... Two of cruiserweight boxing's most dangerous men collided at Bournemouth International Centre on Saturday. Former cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith took everything Ryan Rozicki could throw at him, then turned the tables on the Canadian to eventually stop him after seven grueling rounds. The Bournemouth native went into the trenches with Rozicki, who launched a non-stop offensive on the local hero’s chin for seven rounds. But “CBS” showcased smart defensive skills and remarkable conditioning before answering Rozicki’s power with heavy shots of his own to eventually claim the TKO victory.
Rozicki started with his trademark aggression and it almost boiled over when he was warned by the referee for a headbutt while in the clinch. But, after tasting a little of Rozicki’s power, Billam-Smith started to fire back with power punches of his own as the pair traded huge shots against the ropes. Rozicki continued his relentless forward pressure as he continued to throw huge winging shots at the Englishman, but it was the Canadian who headed back to his corner with a cut over his left eye after another head clash.
Billam-Smith looked to find a home for his jab early in Round 2, but quickly found himself on the back foot as Rozicki came barrelling in, throwing huge hooks once again. And, after another warning from the referee for using the head, Rozicki received a point deduction from the official.
Round three saw the action continue in relentless fashion, with every punch Rozicki threw carrying fight-ending intentions. Billam-Smith covered up well, then stunned the Canadian with a huge counter right hand that briefly froze Rozicki on the spot. However, he recovered almost instantly and resumed his onslaught, but Billam-Smith’s shots seemed to land cleaner as he stayed defensively solid, then unleashed power shots of his own. The relentless pace didn’t relent through the fourth and fifth rounds as Rozicki continued to walk forward, throwing punches at full power. Billam-Smith, meanwhile, worked off the counter, and clipped the Canadian with a couple of eye-catching shots that had the Bournemouth crowd on their feet. But despite those successes, Rozicki’s constant pressure ensured the Englishman never had a moment to rest as the home favorite was forced to dig deep to avoid being overwhelmed.
It seemed impossible to think the fight would find another gear, but it did in the sixth, when Rozicki forced Billam-Smith into the corner and unloaded huge shots to the head and body. Then came the moment the momentum swung firmly in Billam-Smith’s favor, when the local hero bit down on his mouthpiece and unloaded a blistering 12-punch combination, with almost every one finding a home on Rozicki’s chin. But, despite Billam-Smith lighting up the Canadian, Rozicki somehow still stayed upright.
After a wild three-minute war in the sixth, the pace dropped a little in the seventh as the sheer violence of the fight started to wear on both men. But there was still time for Billam-Smith to bring the crowd to their feet as he ended the round with another brilliant combination. It looked like we were all set for a thrilling finale in the final three rounds, but the damage had already been done, and Rozicki was retired by his corner before the start of round eight to give Billam-Smith the hardest-earned win of his boxing career.
