Billam-Smith vs Riakporhe LIVE! Reaction after CBS retains world title (2024)

Billam-Smith was obviously delighted after that, trainer Shane McGuigan believing it will likely be looked back upon as arguably the best performance of his career.

Both of them are rightly baffled by those scorecards, though.

What next then for CBS? Unsurprisingly, he has his sights set on fighting in the USA and Las Vegas.

Could a huge unification battle with new WBA champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez be looming?

A showdown with IBF champion Jai Opetaia is another intriguing possibility...

116-111, 115-112 x2 - AND STILL!

Chris Billam-Smith successfully defends his WBO world cruiserweight title for the second time by unanimous decision and avenges that one and only career loss in the process.

Another fantastic night to remember for ‘The Gentleman’.

115-112 is way too close, by the way. Doesn’t reflect his dominance throughout at all.

Never any danger of a late knockout there from Riakporhe, who will be so, so disappointed with his efforts tonight.

To add insult to injury, he has a point deducted in the final round for use of the head. He had several warnings.

Not that it’ll matter, he must surely have been a country mile behind on the cards.

Billam-Smith with his arms raised in celebration at the final bell, wile Riakporhe looks despondent.

Over to the judges’ scorecards to make sure...

Into the final round we go!Riakporhe is surely well, well behind on the cards here and needs to go for a last-gasp knockout to prevent his world title dreams from slipping away.

CBS three minutes away from retaining his WBO belt again and avenging his only career defeat after five long years.

Round 11

More warnings from Steve Gray amid more clinching and use of the head.

Riakporhe lands another nice right hand towards the end of the penultimate round, but it’s just not enough and he can’t build on it or find the combination.

That ramrod jab has long since deserted him as well.

It’s just been so smart, so wily and so experienced from the champion, who has now allowed Riakporhe to get anything going.

Round 10

Riakporhe has certainly upped his work-rate here, but he can’t really build on his best round of the fight in the ninth.

Billam-Smith expertly drains that new-found momentum with some very clever boxing.

No mincing of words in the Riakporhe corner again.

They leave him in no doubt that he needs a knockout from here to become world champion.

Round 9

But hang on!

Riakporhe always carries that dangerous knockout power and a big right hand lands flush on Billam-Smith midway through the ninth! His gumshield then goes flying.

He tries to follow up on it, but CBS to his credit shook that off remarkably quickly after receiving a heavy barrage on the ropes.

Riakporhe has suddenly found some much-needed confidence and momentum!

Can he build on it with three rounds to go?

Round 8

Billam-Smith is soaring with confidence and looks to hurt Riakporhe early in the eighth, getting him turned around.

It looked like a stiff counter left straight down the pipe that buzzed Riakporhe, who was swinging wildly in response.

Some lovely punches landed by CBS in that round, he absolutely loves that short left hook on the inside.

He’s landed it so frequently so far tonight - much to trainer Shane McGuigan’s delight in the corner.

The engine on Billam-Smith is really something to behold. His work-rate just does not diminish.

Round 7

The rounds are flying by now.

Riakporhe is really struggling here, smothering all his own work.

The confident and composed Billam-Smith is fighting so smartly at the moment, as he always does.

A gumshield goes flying.

Riakporhe’s corner read him the riot act before the start of the eighth, telling him that his world title chance is slipping away and asking if he wants to wake up.

CBS well on top.

Into the second half of this fight we go.

It’s gruelling, highly-watchable stuff, but not the thriller we were expecting so far...