Chris Billam-Smith will fight Clarke on November 7, live on Sky Sports. The British rivals clash in the headline event of Zuffa Boxing 12 at the Copper Box Arena in London. Former world champion Billam-Smith is looking to fight his way back to the summit of the cruiserweight division, while Clarke launched himself into the upper echelons of the weight class with a stirring comeback victory over Jack Massey in June.
Billam-Smith headlined that event in Bournemouth when he won a fight of the year contender with Ryan Rozicki. Those victories have put the two on a collision course. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Billam-Smith and Clarke have a past.
A decade ago as amateur boxers, Clarke defeated Billam-Smith in the national elite championship finals. That snuffed out Billam-Smith's hopes of a place on Team GB, while Clarke went on to box for Britain at the Olympic Games. Billam-Smith did subsequently come into his own as a professional boxer.
He won British, European and Commonwealth championships, before dethroning Lawrence Okolie on a memorable night at the Vitality stadium in his Bournemouth hometown to become the WBO cruiserweight world champion. Regularly in exciting fights, he defended his title against Mateusz Masternak and Richard Riakporhe before losing a ferocious unification battle with Gilberto Ramirez. Clarke has also featured in action-packed fights.
He knocked out Ellis Zorro to win the British championship and challenged for the European title, when he was edged out by unbeaten champion Leonardo Mosquea. Viddal Riley outpointed him at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but Clarke restored his status when he twice rose from the canvas to take out Massey in his most recent fight. Zuffa's newest signee, rising cruiserweight Lucas Roehrig, 9-0 (5), will fight Scotland's Connal McDonald, 5-1 (1), in an eight-rounder.
Scottish middleweight phenom Sam Hickey, 6-0 (3), and American heavyweight destroyer Da'Mazion Vanhouter, 13-0 (10) will face opponents to be named in eight-rounders. Vanhouter had an eye-opening performance on the Garcia vs Benn card earlier this month, demolishing Raphael Akpejiori in the first round. British light-heavyweight contender Zach Parker will face unbeaten puncher Umar Dzambekov.
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