CHRIS Billam-Smith admitted he had never floored anyone quite like he had knocked out Armend Xhoxhaj on Saturday and declared: “I’m going to win the world title.”

The man nicknamed The Gentleman was speaking after extending to 17 victories and one defeat his professional record, after a devastating right hook sent Kosovo’s Xhoxhaj to the canvas at the BIC.

Cruiserweight Billam-Smith had to weather an early storm against a game Xhoxhaj, who caught the former Poole ABC man with a powerful shot in the second round.

But with the support of his hometown behind him, Billam-Smith produced a devastating flurry of punches to seal his second victory in Bournemouth this year.

The 32-year-old told the Daily Echo: “I’ve never really knocked anyone out like that. Such a clean shot. A lot of times the ref has stepped in, or they’ve gone down as the ref is waving them off.

“I celebrated a bit premature because I wasn’t really aware – due to not being in that situation before.

“But my power is increasing. I hurt him with an uppercut which started the finish, left hook to the head, left hook to the body – then a variety of shots.

“Then he was there for the finishing right hook and I just finished him.”

Assessing the fight as a whole, the Shane McGuigan-trained star said: “I was stood on the ramp and it didn’t feel like maybe I was as switched on as I’d like to have been.

“I felt very calm but I think too calm. I obviously got caught early on in the second round and gave him a slight footing in the fight.

“But then I went back to the corner, knew I was fine. Barry McGuigan always says to me ‘if you get hit with one shot, don’t get hit with the next one’.

“That was sort of what happened in that second round. It was not the best performance but I adjusted well and adapted well, which is what good fighters do.

“That’s one of the most important things in the sport – is to be able to adapt and change and make adjustments through the fight. I did that well, obviously got a great finish and thankfully he’s okay.”

Victory puts the wheels in motion for a potential world title bout for Billam-Smith at Vitality Stadium in the summer.

Australian southpaw Jai Opetaia has been mooted as a potential opponent, the Sydneysider having beaten Mairis Briedis to win the IBF title back in July.

Asked about now being months away from potentially reaching the top of the world, Billam-Smith replied: “I am sure it’s going to hit me that I am going to fight for a world title next year – and I’m going to win the world title at my home team’s stadium.

“He (Opetaia) is the man who beat the man. I got into this sport for achievements. As I’ve shown throughout my career, I will fight anyone.

“There has been a lot of hard domestic fights I have had and a lot of good prep. He’s the man in the division who beat the man – so bring him on.”