Chris Billam-Smith suffered a shocking seventh-round stoppage defeat to Cheavon Clarke at the O2 Arena in London. Billam-Smith finished the bout on his feet, shaking his head in protest as referee Lee Every halted the contest. Billam-Smith had never previously been dropped or stopped in his professional career.
Clarke landed two clean knockdowns in the seventh round before finishing the fight. Zuffa Boxing president Dana White felt the stoppage came too early, stating "I thought it was early," though he noted only CBS could make the final determination. Clarke defended the referee's intervention, insisting Billam-Smith was in severe distress.
Former world champion Johnny Nelson supported the stoppage, arguing Billam-Smith was in a worse state than Jack Massey, who Clarke also knocked out in a previous fight. Billam-Smith's coach Shane Mc Guigan noted the fighter gets hit too often. Nelson suggested Billam-Smith must change his approach or risk Clarke becoming a lifelong bogeyman, adding that at domestic level, Billam-Smith needs to clear the division to prove he is the top UK cruiserweight.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing