Cheavon Clarke stoppage win over Chris Billam-Smith at the Copper Box Arena in London handed the former world champion the first stoppage defeat of his career. Clarke also dropped Billam-Smith twice, the first knockdowns of Billam-Smith’s career, before referee Lee Every stopped the fight on the ropes.
Clarke had beaten Jack Massey in a thrilling win last time out and was seeking a big-name scalp to launch him into the top class of the division. He got it. Billam-Smith had been seeking some personal vengeance. Clarke had beaten him in a pivotal national amateur championship final 10 years earlier. Billam-Smith had since converted himself from amateur nearly man to elite professional champion, but Clarke again handed him a bitterly painful defeat.
They began the first round busily with frenetic work. Clarke, full of energy, winged shots over. His head swung in too wildly, but a right hand over the top gave Billam-Smith pause for thought.
Clarke popped Billam-Smith with a left hook as the former champion charged after him. Rolling under a left hook, Clarke moved off and snuck his right round Billam-Smith’s guard. Billam-Smith swallowed another right but dug in an uppercut with his backhand.
A right flew in and Clarke grabbed him in a clinch. He then answered with a crack right to the jaw himself. But Billam-Smith, renowned for his toughness, took it stolidly.
Cheavon Clarke stoppage win turns on seventh round
In the third round Clarke blasted an excellent right uppercut between Billam-Smith’s elbows. He touched his chin with the left hook and reached Billam-Smith with a long cross. Manoeuvring for position in a clinch, Clarke whipped his left hook over.
Billam-Smith bulled into him in a physical, frenetic fight, finishing the fourth round swinging hooks. Early in the fifth round Clarke went for Billam-Smith and they traded hard hits. The clinching, a frequent feature of the fight, appeared to leave them both frustrated.
Clarke popped in a clean jab, but Billam-Smith ground forward onto the front foot. Billam-Smith hit out with thudding power in the sixth round. Clarke sighed out a breath and stepped back, briefly losing the shape of his boxing.
In the seventh round Clarke knocked Billam-Smith over with a right. The Bournemouth man struggled back to his feet and Clarke swarmed forward. As Billam-Smith tried to escape from the ropes, Clarke knocked him down again.
Clarke attacked Billam-Smith once more on the ropes. Billam-Smith’s leg stuttered, but he had his feet under him when referee Lee Every moved in to end it. Billam-Smith at once shook his head to protest as the referee waved it off.
“I'm fine. It was a good shot. He buzzed me, obviously,” Billam-Smith said. “It was a great shot. I made a mistake, but I felt like I was winning the fight.”
“Fair play to Chev. We've had three fights now and he's got them all. I'd love to run it back and get him eventually,” Billam-Smith said.
“Underdog to who? Not us!” Clarke said. “I don't care about a label. I'm Chev Clarke and that's all that matters.”
The original report is available at skysports.com.