Chris Billam-Smith dedicates win over Lawrence Okolie to his mother battling breast cancer

Chris Billam-Smith defeated Lawrence Okolie three times on his way to become world cruiserweight champion on Saturday night – and dedicated the victory to his mother who is battling breast cancer.

At the home of his beloved AFC Bournemouth, Billam-Smith shook up the 200lbs division with a stunning victory over his former stablemate to earn him the WBO cruiserweight title.

The match often proved frustrating to watch – with Okolie receiving points twice for excessive holding – but it was in the fourth round when his championship defense began to unravel.

After falling in and missing with a left hook, the Hackney man was sent to the canvas for the first time in his career after Billam-Smith responded with the same shot, an amazing moment that set the tone for the rest of the fight. .

Okolie then dropped points in the fifth and seventh rounds before landing two more knockdowns in the 10th and 11. However, replays seemed to suggest the first was more of a slip.

Billam-Smith knocked down Lawrence Okolie three times before triumphing on the scorecards

And when the final bell rang at Vitality Stadium, Billam-Smith was crowned World Champion via majority decision (112-112, 115-108, 116-107).

The Bournemouth fighter was initially speechless after fulfilling a lifelong dream of triumphing at his team’s stadium, but he dedicated it to his mum after revealing she is currently battling breast cancer, while also claiming he is bedridden was due to illness all week leading up to the fight.

“I don’t know what just happened,” he said Sky Sports. “My whole life has gone so fast so far and I have no words for it. This is perfect, nothing more.

“Against Lawrence, a great champion, a friend who never seemed close to defeat, he put me through 12 very, very difficult rounds there. It wasn’t the most entertaining fight, but that’s what Lawrence is so good at. But I believe I did enough to win it and I think the scorecards showed that.

“It’s crazy, I was sick in bed all week. I did not eat from Tuesday to Thursday. I mean it was easy to arrive! But I had no energy and I just had to put on a brave face in practice on Wednesday and then do a presser on Thursday. But I was sick in bed all week.

“And I just want to dedicate this to my mom, who has breast cancer right now. Mom, this is for you! I love you so much!’

While Billam-Smith has catapulted himself to the top of the division, Okolie is reeling from his first defeat as a professional, ending his streak of 18 wins.

Okolie received two points for excessive holding in a frustrating game

The 30-year-old congratulated his former team-mate before promising to return

The 30-year-old, who trained alongside Billam-Smith for four years before leaving Shane McGuigan at the end of 2022, was quick to congratulate his old team-mate and vowed to return.

“I was sitting there, he did a lot of good things and got a good knockdown that changed the momentum,” said Okolie.

“I love being the winner and the champion, I have to tip my hat to him, he did a really good job. We’re going to reverse it.

“I trained really hard because I know what Chris is made of. Today is his night, I may be down, but I’m definitely not out.

This was Chris at his best. I can adapt to a loss, I’ll be back.”