Comments Thread For: Chris Billam-Smith admits loss is 'hard to take' but Shane McGuigan tells him to 'hold his head up'

[Tatabanya]

Never been a big fan of Zurdo.

My logic was he's a former Super Middleweight against a legit Crusier, thought CBS would pull out a decision but was very wrong

Bettings a mugs game but also abit of fun isn't it.

Yeah, but it's more fun when one wins

I'm not really fond of Zurdo either. But I thought two things: 1) Okolie and Riakporhe were both overrated, and 2) if CBS was given a hard time by someone like Masternak, he won't beat Ramirez who, if anything, has much better skills than Chris.

[Boxing2695]

Yeah I had;

Katie Taylor by Decision
Jake Paul by Decision
Chris Billam Smith by Decision
Charles Oliveria to win
Jon Jones by TKO/KO

So ?0 would have won me ?500 but yeah Billam Smith messed it all up

Yeah CBS vs Zurdo always seemed like the bet buster for me that night it's why I didn't touch that fight.

[slimPickings]

Chris should be VERY thankful his management took him the path of Zurdo as he would not have seen the final bell with Opetaia who many levels above both of them in terms speed, skill, power and toughness.

Respectfully disagree that Opetaia is "many levels above" Zurdo! Opetaia is as overrated as Zurdo is underrated. Hope the fight gets made.

[Sparked_26]

Respectfully disagree that Opetaia is "many levels above" Zurdo! Opetaia is as overrated as Zurdo is underrated. Hope the fight gets made.

CBS has an elite mentality, toughness, and professionalism.

It is impressive when someone like that overachieves like he has.

Even before the injuries from round 2 you're looking at Ramirez and just knowing CBS just not at the level of his opponent. Which is fine, athletes and teams beat people better than them all the time and CBS has the mindset to accept that and stick to a plan.

But his only hope was keeping the pressure on, making Ramirez work, keeping his own work rate up and hoping he either caught him with something or Ramirez gassed. Ramirez was smart too, lots of body work and his conditioning was good.

CBS is old school he probably could have competed in the the 19th century. Maybe he would have put Ramirez away in the 73rd round.

[PRINCEKOOL]

Chris Billam Smith, is operating at his near maximum levels and beyond 'He lost the fight vs Gilberto Zurdo Ramirez not due to lack of effort and conditioning. But due to Zurdo skill for skill being a better fighter'.

If Smith was going to beat Zurdo, the main factors supporting him 'Should of been his overall conditioning, brute strength and power. Before the fight? Those are the attribute's and areas of his game, where you would of thought he could beat Zurdo'.

But instead? Zurdo surprisingly matched him in terms of brute strength, and was able to stay with the pace of the fight. Zurdo actually appeared to have more gears than Smith, which at times made his attacks appear more damaging and impactful'.

I am not sure if Chris Billiam Smith is going to push for a rematch 'If a second fight does happen. I envision a similar fight again, in terms of the action'.

The best opportunity for Smith to win a rematch, is for Gilberto Zurdo Ramirez to not really be on his game 'Or to not have a good training camp. The reason why I say this is because, Smith really was unable to hurt or stop Zurdo in his tracks. And at no point in the fight did Smith skill for skill look to be the better boxer'.

Chris Billiam Smith's conditioning, and durability ultimately kept him in the fight. The cruiserweight division has throughout the years, always been a great divisions in terms of competition. And right now, I think it is still a solid division'.

But? I think a fighter like Chris Billiam Smith going off topic, would of been blasted out by both David Haye and even Enzo Maccerinelli 'I would not rate this era of Cruiserweight fighters as terrible fighters. But it would just be hard for anyone to imagine, a fighter like Gilberto Zurdo Ramirez just wading into the Cruiserweight Division's back in the 2000's and unifying the World titles'.

Note: One thing I did notice with Zurdo, was that his movement does not really seem to be that great 'He seems good on the inside, with his spatial awareness and being in the right position to launch his attacks. But if Smith was able to win the battle of the jabs, and fight more from long to mid range this style of fight could of won him more rounds'.

I know those fight tactics, have historically not been a part of Chris Billiam Smith's fighting style 'But great fighters need to show variation. Past great Cruiserweight Champions such as David Haye displayed this ability. Leading up to his fight against Jean Marc Mormeck, he fought Giacobbe Fragomeni. The fight was mostly fought at inside to mid range, stylistically it was actually a very similar fight to Chris Billiam Smith vs Gilberto Zurdo Ramirez. Haye won the fight eventually with his power broke through Fragomeni's defenses, that was the night when Haye proved he could survive and be victories in the trench warfare'.

The main point I am trying to make is? Chris Billiam Smith has a top level trainer 'Shane Mcguigan seems like a boxing coach, who is very perceptive and quite creative with his tactics. Surely he must know that if Smith is to from this point onwards, be a threat a world level. Then he needs to develop more variation in his game',

Because Smith is a top level fighter 'He mainly just relies on his determination and intensity to win fights. Smith is not really a monster power puncher, so eventually the likely hood is that he will be out boxed quite easily at some point in his career'.

Chris Billiam Smith has been fortunate, that he is competing in this era of the Cruiserweight Division 'He is a solid and honest fighter. His style most of the time will always produce action packed fights. But his style in my opinion, is why he is also right there for the taking'.

Smith has the attributes that a boxing coach can work with 'He can definitively add more dimension's to his game. Especially if he is a fighter who is renowned for his work ethic outside of the ring'.

To conclude: Overall it was a great fight. The contest made me appreciate the cruiserweight division 'In all the weight divisions below the open class Heavyweight Division in boxing. Lower weight class fighters are always making excuses over their preparation, and complaining about making their weight limits. Because many of those modern day lower weight class fighters use weight draining tactics'.

The cruiserweight division's seems to be different 'For the most part the competitors are always in condition. And very rarely are excuses made about making the weight limit. This is because from my observation? The culture in the sport alters as you move up closer to the Heavyweight Division'.

Fighters in my opinion are primarily training to win. Where as in the lower weight classes below the Heavyweight and Cruiserweight Divisions, fighters primarily are training to make the weight. Because many modern day lower class fighters, are fighting nowhere near their natural weight',

So, I leave this fight with appreciation for the Cruiserweight Division's and it's competitors 'Historically it has always been a really solid and competitive division' etc.

[landotter]

Billiam-Smith can recover. First off, CW is not deep right now. He can come back and beat most of the top 10 and get himself back in position for a title shot. Secondly, he is self disciplined enough to learn from mistakes. When he steps up, he needs to be better defensively. If he tightened up. he can really be in position to stun someone who does not take the fight as serious.

Legit loss in every regard but heart. But that is one of the most important things in boxing.