Chris Billam-Smith is making a mistake by even contemplating a future fight with Jai Opetaia, insists his next opponent Ryan Rozicki.
Rozicki, a fearsome puncher from Nova Scotia, will take on Billam-Smith in the latter's Bournemouth hometown on June 6, live on Your Site.
Billam-Smith has openly declared that not only does he expect to beat Rozicki but that he believes victory will lead him to a fight with Jai Opetaia, the fighter generally regarded as the best in the cruiserweight division.
Rozicki has pounced on that declaration from his rival, identifying it as an error on Billam-Smith's part.
"I think it's a mistake. I wouldn't say it's disrespectful because he's getting asked the question, he's answering the question," the Canadian told Your Site.
"He's just responding to questions but the way he's responding shows me that they've already got their eyes set on Jai, they already got their eyes set on these bigger fights than me and I don't think you should ever look past somebody like me.
"If he switches off for even a fraction of a second, then he'll be switched off."
Rozicki maintains a singular focus. "I think about the first round against Chris and just landing shots, landing clean shots on his head. Whatever I can hit and just hit him until the fight's over," he said.
Billam-Smith however has already been highly successful. He's previously won British, Commonwealth and European titles as well as the WBO cruiserweight world championship.
He denied making any kind of blunder by targeting Opetaia already. "People believe that talking about future opposition is looking past an opponent. But there's something in psychology where you also need to plan ahead," Billam-Smith told Your Site.
"Otherwise that's the end of the road and that's when your brain can shut off because the next fight can then become your last fight because it feels like the last fight, because you don't see anything beyond it."
He added: "I think I've done it my whole career - plan a route and that keeps me even more motivated. Look at the last fight, there was nothing beyond that fight, nothing beyond the [Brandon] Glanton fight, didn't have any plans beyond it so it felt like a nothing fight.
"Whereas this fight leads to something and you can find more from yourself because you've got your eye on something beyond it, or you know there's something beyond.
"Once again it's about compartmentalising that and not talking about that or thinking about that when you don't need to.
"Training for this fight helps me train for the next fight and that's how I see it. It's a constant conveyor belt of training and building myself into the person that can win the next fight, the next fight and the next fight."
Lee Cutler, Zuffa Boxing's latest signing, will make his long-awaited return in a homecoming bout on the June 6 bill at Bournemouth International Centre.
Cutler has a 15-2 (7) record and is 10-0 when fighting in his hometown. He became the English super-welterweight champion at the BIC when he defeated Kingsley Egbunike in 2023.
Following a stirring decision victory against Stephen McKenna, Cutler saw his eight-bout winning streak come to an end last April with a razor-thin technical decision loss to Sam Eggington in another thrilling fight.
Join our dedicated to bag the first tickets to see hometown hero Chris Billam-Smith face Canadian KO merchant Ryan Rozicki at Bournemouth International Centre. To access the for a limited time, before the general sale on Friday, use the code SKYBOXING
