CHRIS Billam-Smith revealed he would love a rematch against Richard Riakporhe to be for a world title and said: “I don’t think he has improved that much.”
Riakporhe inflicted the only loss on Billam-Smith’s professional record, in a controversial split decision almost three years ago.
Since then, neither fighter has lost, with 11 fights between the pair of them.
Billam-Smith first has to overcome Isaac Chamberlain in his homecoming at the BIC on Saturday, July 30, with his European and Commonwealth cruiserweight titles on the line.
But asked whether he would like to fight Riakporhe again, the 31-year-old said: “Absolutely. It’s a fight I absolutely always want at one point and I think it makes sense for a world title to be on the line when we do fight again.
“Hopefully we can get that fight made in the future for sure, for a world title.”
Giving his take on Riakporhe’s return to the ring in his past four contests, Billam-Smith said: “I think they have been not great opponents. (Fabio) Turchi was someone I was meant to box and I was expecting to stop him – he (Riakporhe) stopped him.
“He has shown improvements in some areas but a few weaknesses in others. I don’t think he has improved that much, in all honesty.”
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