BOXXER: Fight Night Follow-Up - What next for Chris Billam-Smith, Ben Whittaker and Caroline Dubois?
We take a look at what could be next for three fighters who reigned supreme as part of BOXXER’s ‘Battle on the Beach’ card in Bournemouth at the weekend.
What next for Chris Billam-Smith?
The Bournemouth fighter boasts world title aspirations, and, following victory over Isaac Chamberlain at the weekend, that opportunity is seemingly now within his grasp.
Jai Opetaia, the reigning IBF champion, is most likely to provide Billam-Smith with a first shot at world honours, with his promoter Dean Lonergan ringside on the south coast on Saturday evening.
“He is the number one in the world – it's mental the opportunities that now lie ahead. I'm so excited for them,” Billam-Smith said after his unanimous scorecard victory.
“The next fight is always the biggest in this sport. Every fight's a must-win, and that's how I approach it. Every next fight is the biggest.
“That tonight was the pinnacle of my career so far, but there's going to be even better nights ahead!”
Indeed there are, and it seems that it’s only a matter of time until the ‘Gentleman’ gets his crack at Opetaia’s prestigious world crown.
What next for Ben Whittaker?
It took just four minutes and 21 seconds for Ben Whittaker to announce himself on to the professional stage as part of BOXXER’s ‘Battle on the Beach’ card.
The Tokyo 2020 silver medallist oozed pure class during his short, but pulsating, dust-up with Greg O’Neill.
He truly is the full package. The entrance, the showboating, the engagement with the fans, and, of course, his silky skills.
You can expect Whittaker to be back in action very quickly – he is targeting domestic honours in in the next six months or so!
There is speculation suggesting he will form part of the Usyk vs Joshua II card in Saudi Arabia, and if that opportunity arises in less than three weeks’ time, it is one that he is ready to grasp with both hands.
“As soon as my management team and promoter and whoever put their heads together and get me a date, that's when I'm ready. I'm fit, no injuries so I'm just ready to go again,” Whittaker said.
“By the end of the year, I will have hopefully had four [bouts], pushing five, that would be great. The first thing I want in the first and second year is activity.”
What next for Caroline Dubois?
The hard-hitting lightweight dazzled on her return to the ring, chalking up a third professional win against Happy Daudi – and she, like Whittaker, looks set for a quick return to action.
Dubois, the sister of WBA regular champion Daniel, is now primed for a slot on the undercard of the hotly-anticipated Shields-Marshall card after dispatching of Daudi inside three rounds on Saturday.
The all-female event at the O2, in London, will see Shields and Marshall lock-horns bidding to fully unify the 160lb division, with a plethora of other talent, including Dubois, featuring as part of the card.
“I’d love to fight on that show,” Dubois said after her demolition win at the weekend.
“I feel like I’m enjoying the pro ranks more and more and I feel like I just need to settle on throwing punches with more bad intentions and that’s what I was doing here.”
BOXXER founder and CEO Ben Shalom confirmed her appearance as part of a stacked, and historic, night of boxing that will also include a super-featherweight unification showdown between Mikaela Mayer and Alycia Baumgardner.
Dubois’ opponent is yet to be confirmed, but you can expect for the London-born fighter to continue to be eased into the professional circuit before undertaking more testing bouts down the line.
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