The WBO draws the consequences: Because SES and Boxxer could not reach an agreement, there will now be a purse bid for Roman Fress vs. Chris Billam-Smith.
The World Boxing Organization(WBO) has officially scheduled a purse bid for the interim cruiserweight world championship duel between Roman Fress and Britain’s Chris Billam-Smith. The reason: Both parties – SES Boxing (Fress) and Boxxer (Billam-Smith) – were unable to agree on a date within the set time limit.
The auction of the hosting rights will take place on Thursday, October 9, 2025 at 12:00 CEST at the office of the Hungarian Boxing Federation in Budapest. The minimum bid is 300,000 US dollars. As usual, the WBO requires a deposit of 20% of the total amount within two working days.
The purse will be distributed according to the applicable rules: 60/40 with home advantage, 50/50 on neutral ground. The winner of the purse bid has 90 days to present a venue – at the earliest, however, 45 days after winning the bid.
The background to the interim title being awarded is the injury-related absence of reigning world champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramírez from Mexico. The winner between Fress and Billam-Smith could therefore put himself in the top position for a regular world title fight.
Text by Robin Josten