WBO cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith defends his title against Mateusz Masternak on Sunday, December 10 at Bournemouth International Centre in Bournemouth, England. Ahead of their 12-round world championship bout, the fighters hosted a launch press conference in London, where their previewed their clash and went face to face.
33-year-old Billam-Smith (18-1, 12 KOs) makes the first defense of the belt that he claimed against former champion Lawrence Okolie by majority decision in May. Epsom, Surrey native goes through the ropes for the second time for 2023 and the third time at BIC, having previously sold out this venue twice.
“He does everything very well,” Billam-Smith said on his next opponent. “He’s the most well rounded fighter I will have faced to date. He’s very well rounded and has no obvious weaknesses. I think stylistically we are very similar in a lot of areas and I think it will be a great fight. It will be an entertaining fight, our styles will mesh really well.”
“The venue channels sound so well and you have thousands of Bournemouth fans in there singing their hearts out. That kind of atmosphere is actually what first inspired me to go into boxing and I am just so lucky to have the support that I do.”
36-year-old Mateusz Masternak (47-5, 31 KOs) steps inside the ring for the first time since last October. The native of Iwaniska, Poland makes his first attempt to land a world title.
“I’ve been waiting for 17 years to get a world title shot,” Masternak said. “It’s been a long journey with a lot of ups and downs but now I am ready to take a belt. I’ve been very patient but the wait is almost over. Chris has heart but he’s not faced anyone with my experience and my toughness.”
“There’s a large Polish community in the area and even though it’s Chris Billam-Smith’s territory, I will have some support in there as well. It’s going to be a good night.”
The bouts featured on Billam-Smith vs Masternak undercard are expected to be announced shortly.
In Australia, the event airs live on Monday, December 11.
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