Cheavon Clarke knocked out former world champion Chris Billam-Smith in a stunning upset at the Copper Box, breathing new life into his cruiserweight career. The 35-year-old had lost back-to-back fights to Leonardo Mosquea and Viddal Riley, but he put the division on notice with a brutal stoppage win over his long-time rival.
Clarke Ends Rivalry in Decisive Fashion
Clarke had beaten Billam-Smith on the amateur scene 10 years ago, and he repeated that success in emphatic style. With the cruiserweight division heating up following news that two-time undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk was moving back down, Clarke was eager to prove he belonged among the top contenders.
The opening three minutes were quiet as both fighters measured each other, but Billam-Smith picked up the pace late in the first round and tagged Clarke coming in. Clarke appeared content to make it a grappling contest, but a locked-in Billam-Smith found ways to escape and pile on the pressure, ending the second round on the front foot.
Momentum Shifts in the Middle Rounds
A sneaky right hand from Billam-Smith in the opening moments of the third sent Clarke backpedalling, before a sharp uppercut counter landed as his best shot in the first three rounds. Despite that eye-catching strike, Clarke returned to grappling, and Billam-Smith ended the third strongest with a tidy combination upstairs.
The fourth was dominated by more holding, forcing the referee to step in again, but Clarke detonated a right hand to end the round strongly. In the fifth, Clarke stunned Billam-Smith with a clubbing right hand, forcing the Bournemouth native to hold on as the fight reached its midway point.
Brutal Finish and Co-Main Event Result
Both men, visibly damaged, began trading right hands. Billam-Smith found brief success with the jab, but momentum shifted when Clarke came forward on the offence. Billam-Smith was soon sent crashing to the canvas, though he quickly got back to his feet. Clarke, sensing his adversary was on wobbly legs, dropped him twice more with piercing combinations before the referee stepped in and waved off the clash, much to the frustration of Billam-Smith, who thought the stoppage was harsh.
In the co-main event, Denzel Bentley secured a points win on his Zuffa Boxing debut, just weeks after being stripped of his WBO middleweight title. Shane Mosley Jr, son of boxing great Shane Mosley, was unable to build on his win over Serhii Bohachuk earlier this year, and his first fight on British shores ended in defeat. Bentley powered through to win on points, with the official scorecards reading 96-94, 96-93, and 95-94.
