Chev Clarke Pulls Off an Upset in His Fight Against Chris Billam-Smith, Former Cruiserweight World Champion—Rematch Next Year?
Cruiserweight Chev Clarke delivered one of the biggest surprises of the boxing year. The 35-year-old underdog defeated former WBO champion Chris Billam-Smith by stoppage at the Copper Box Arena. By the seventh round, “CBS” had already been knocked down twice by Clarke and was staggering badly around the ring. Shortly thereafter, referee Lee Every stopped the fight.
After his upset victory, the Jamaican-born former truck driver remained humble rather than celebrating his triumph in a big way. “It’s just another win,” Clarke (13-2, 10 KOs) told “The Ring” with modesty. “It’s like going to work and doing what you have to do every day.” He added that he isn’t a big boxing fan, but simply someone “who can box pretty well and gets decent results.”
Clarke vs. CBS: three bouts—all wins
Instead, he’s looking forward to seeing his friends—“and I’m glad Arsenal (1-0 vs. Hull City; Ed.) won,” said Clarke. Notably, prior to his victory over Billam-Smith at the Copper Box Arena, the former British champion was not ranked in the top 15 by any of the four major world governing bodies.
“It was, of course, a good punch that shook me up,” admitted Billam-Smith (22-3, 14 KOs) after his loss at the Zuffa Boxing event in London. “Hats off to Chev. We’ve fought three times now, and he’s won them all. I’d love to get a rematch and beat him someday.” Clarke had already defeated his rival twice as an amateur back in 2016.
While Chev Clarke can now look forward to an exciting and lucrative 2027, CBS will have to prove itself again next year to secure major fights.
Text: Frank Schwantes