CHRIS Billam-Smith insisted he had taken another step forward on his boxing journey – despite falling short in his ABA senior championship quest.

The Poole ABC fighter had “no complaints” after his bid to reach the national finals was ended at the semi-final stage by defending 86kg champion Deion Jumah in Sudbury on Saturday.

Billam-Smith suffered a 31-11 loss at the hands of his experienced rival, who progressed to his third Amateur Boxing Association of England finals.

But the 21-year-old boxer from Christchurch believes the defeat – his first in the past eight contests – will stand him in good stead for the future.

Billam-Smith told the Daily Echo: “I think Deion has had 23 bouts and stopped 16 of his opponents.

“He is a really good lad and has been sparring with George Groves (British super-middleweight champion) as well.

“It was a good bout and good experience for me. It is just another stepping stone.

“I am still only 21 and have only had 20 amateur bouts. In my last eight, I have only lost to him and he is the best kid in the country, so I have got no complaints.

“It is all a learning curve and you always learn a lot more from your losses anyway.

“There was no shame in losing to him. Unfortunately, I am not quite at that level yet, but it was a stepping stone towards it.”

Victory for Billam-Smith would have seen him earn a place in the final of English amateur boxing’s premier competition at York Hall, Bethnal Green, on April 13.

But the former ABA senior novice champion, who works alongside Steve Bendall at the former English middleweight champion’s Fighting Fit gym in Bournemouth, remained upbeat after seeing his run come to an end.

Billam-Smith added: “He beat me fair and square, there is no doubt, but I didn’t think the score was that wide.

“In the first round, I started a bit slow and was a bit wary and I let him get a bit too comfortable.

“I was trying to catch him as he was coming forward in the second round and that was where I had most of my success.

“But he was really good working on the inside. When we were fighting up close, he threw lots of shots and punches in bunches, with lots of body shots.

“In the third round, I knew I had to go for it. I went forward a bit more and had a much better round and took it to him a bit, but it was too late to turn the result round.”

Billam-Smith wished to thank his coaches at Poole ABC for their help and support.