Chris Billam-Smith got revenge against Richard Riakporhe and retained his WBO cruiserweight title as he spoiled the challenger’s Selhurst Park show.
The Bournemouth bruiser was a comfortable winner on the cards in a 12-round clash that was far from a classic. But Billam-Smith, 33, won’t care as he avenged his 2019 defeat - the only one of his career - and derailed the Midnight Train with a unanimous win of 116-111, 115-112 and 115-112 after a mostly scrappy contest.
The Gentleman did have to survive a scare in the ninth when 34-year-old Riakporhe finally forced the fight. But it was the only time the Crystal Palace fan got the Selhurst Park crowd going as the Cherries man put in an almost punch-perfect display to win the majority of the rounds.
The fight at the football ground delivered the equivalent of a 1-0 win to the away team. Job done and move on for Billam-Smith. It was a professional performance rather than a thrilling one.
Billam-Smith - who beat Lawrence Okolie to win the title at the Vitality Stadium last summer - is enjoying his stadium nights out. Apart from the ninth, he was rarely troubled and didn't have to go through the gears to hand Riakporhe his first defeat.
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The scorecards were a little generous to the challenger, who was finally given a points deduction in the last after 12 rounds of holding and head clashes. Billam-Smith said: "I'm really pleased. Experience was the difference, the speed and the game plan.
"He got me once, he can punch with his right hand but the game plan was spot on from [trainer] Shane [McGuigan] and I executed it." When asked what he wants next, he added: "Vegas baby!"
Billam-Smith won the fight by unanimous decision (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Billam-Smith is hoping for a unification fight next while Riakporhe will be left to rebuild. Riakporhe, previously unbeaten in 17, started the first well as he popped out a jab and snuck in an early right. But Billam-Smith was soon in a rhythm and the challenger was landing more with his head than his hands for the first six rounds.
Referee Steve Gray continually separated them as Riakporhe held and spoiled any chance of inside fighting but the official allowed the Londoner to get away with it for too long. Billam-Smith was ticking off rounds in his favour while having to land very little with stiff jabs and the odd right enough as it wasn’t clear what Riakporhe’s tactics were.
The defending champion turned his rival into the corner post with a sharp combination in the eighth and chants of Billam-Smith echoed around the football ground. A fight finally broke out in the ninth when Riakporhe hurt Billam-Smith with a right and then two more towards the end of the three minutes.
It finally got the Palace fans cheering but their man couldn’t capitalise in the championship rounds with a point deducted in the final round for Riakporhe’s use of the head removing any doubt of the result.
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