Cruiserweight Showdown
Today’s Zuffa Boxing Cruiserweight Main Event between Chris “The Gentleman” Bilam-Smith (22-2, 14 Kos) and our own Canadian Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki (21-2-1, 20 Kos) was a very entertaining bout but did not have the outcome I expected at the Bournemouth International Centre. Real Talk!
Rozicki came out the gate with his usual aggressive self, looking to take out Billam-Smith with some very heavy shots but to my surprise, Billam-Smith stayed cool and calm and stood his ground quite impressively, never waving while hammering some very good precise shots of his own.
Rozicki showed his sturdiness but was met, surprisingly, with an opponent who was smart with his approach and just as sturdy. Both combatants banged heavy on one another and stunning each other back and forth turning this bout into a straight shootout.
Both combatants fought in the pocket with Billam-Smith getting the better out of Rozicki who got touched up with some heavy head shots due to his lack of defense that costed him dearly as the rounds progressed.
I don’t think Rozicki was expecting Billam-Smith to withstand his onslaught but Billam-Smith came in this bout with the right frame of mind and the determination and strength needed to get through this battle.
By the seventh round, Billam-Smith stepped his game up and put up a series of damaging combination punches that had Rozicki staggering but still moving forward eating nothing but clean head shots. The inevitable was near.
Due to a tougher than expected seventh round Rozicki’s, corner decided to pull their fighter from taking any further punishment. It was a brutal bout for both combatants but the right decision was definitely made.
With this very impressive win now under his belt, Chris Billam-Smith is right back into the mix in the Cruiserweight Division positioning himself for another World Title opportunity.
Well done, Chris!
Blaze