Shane McGuigan Optimistic About Chris Billam-Smith’s WBC Title Chances

Chris Billam-Smith, the former world champion, is still pursuing his goal of reclaiming a world title as he prepares for an important bout against the outspoken cruiserweight contender Brandon Glanton.

Despite suffering a tough loss to unified champion Gilberto Ramirez in November, Billam-Smith has managed to secure a respectable fourth place ranking from the WBC. This positioning has potentially set him up for a shot at the green and gold belt currently held by three-division champion Badou Jack.

Jack, who claimed the title by stopping Ilunga Makabu in the 12th round in 2023, took a two-year break from boxing. Recently reinstated as the WBC’s full titleholder after being the ‘champion in recess’, Jack is expected to defend his title against mandatory challenger Ryan Rozicki in his next fight.

Meanwhile, Billam-Smith is gearing up for his clash with Glanton on April 26, featuring on the undercard of the Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn event at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. This marks Billam-Smith’s third stadium fight and presents an opportunity for him to re-establish himself at the world-class level in the 200-pound division.

Shane McGuigan, Billam-Smith’s long-time trainer, believes a victory could propel the 34-year-old closer to another world title shot. McGuigan told Boxing News, “It’s a challenging fight against Glanton. We’re facing an American fighter who’s likely to engage in a lot of trash talk.”

McGuigan added, “Our main focus was getting Billam-Smith back in the ring. We understand that he needs a win to be eligible for a WBC title fight against Badou Jack. We’re very optimistic about securing that title shot, although it’s uncertain whether Jack wants to continue boxing. If he does, he might not be keen on facing Billam-Smith, but he could also see it as an opportunity after Billam-Smith’s fight with Ramirez.”