Chris Billam-Smith loses WBO title to Gilberto Ramirez via points loss in Saudi Arabia
Briton battered across 12 rounds after picking up a bad cut early on
All three judges see it for Ramirez, 116-112, 116-112 & 116-113
Billam-Smith slips to second defeat of his career
Mexico's Ramirez becomes unified WBA & WBO cruiserweight champion
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Billam-Smith v Ramirez
To put it simply, Jai Opetaia. Or at least it should be.
The Australian leads the way in the Ring rankings and is the cruiserweight on everyone's lips.
Chris Billam-Smith told Sky Sports: "Ramirez next and then Opetaia after that, that would be my next two fights I would absolutely love."
Image source, Getty ImagesBillam-Smith v Ramirez
Here comes Chris Billam-Smith with his hood over his eyes. He look as focused as ever. He's ready.
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Billam-Smith v Ramirez
David Haye is currently on a one-man list of Brits to have unified the cruiserweight division. Tonight, Chris Billam-Smith has the chance to add to a list that hasn't changed since 2007.
Haye secured a TKO win over Jean-Marc Mormeck to take the WBA, WBC and The Ring titles.
Months later, Haye knocked out Enzo Maccarinelli to add the WBO title to his collection.
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For me, it's Lloyd Honeyghan's supposedly hopeless task in 1984 against undefeated P4P star Donald Curry in Atlantic City. Lloyd had been written off by almost everyone but tore the script up and handed Curry a hell of a beating which resulted in him not coming out for the 7th! Ring magazine ranked it as their 'upset of the year' It was HUGE!
Raffa, huge Sunderland fan from Cirencester.
My favourite away win for a British fighter would be Lloyd Honeyghan against Don Curry in 1986. He wasn't given any real chance with the previously unbeaten Curry but beat him emphatically!!
Stephen
Billam-Smith v Ramirez
What a night it was for Chris Billam-Smith in London in June.
He avenged his only defeat with a dominant victory over Richard Riakporhe to cement his spot as Britain's number one cruiserweight.
An easy night's work for 'The Gentleman'.
Image source, Getty ImagesBillam-Smith v Ramirez
Who is Chris Billam-Smith's biggest fan? The answer to that is his wife, Mia.
She told BBC Sport how Billam-Smith is one of a kind: "I knew he'd achieve big things with his mindset. He's like nobody I have ever met before.
"The pressure to perform is a lot for him. I feel that weight too as a wife and a parent, and worry about him and his health - that being said, he's doing what he loves and I wouldn't want it any other way.
"I have actually started seeing a therapist to help compartmentalise my fears and manage my emotions, especially around fight week, to stop myself getting too overwhelmed, it is a constant balancing act."
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He wasn’t a gigantic underdog but I remember Carl Frampton’s fantastic win over (an also excellent but much hyped) Leo Santa Cruz on a raucous New York night.
Phillip, London
Lloyd Honeghan v Don Curry 1986. No contest.
Anon
Kirkland Laing v Roberto Duran even though Duran didn’t seem interested that was some victory!
Dan from Exeter
Billam-Smith v Ramirez
The Cherries have made it to Riyadh to cheer on Chris Billam-Smith. Dedication!
Billam-Smith v Ramirez
Atmosphere is yet to get going so far. The main fight is up next and looks like we'll have less than 1000 people in attendance.
This isn't the Kingdom Arena where most of the big fight nights in Saudi have been held, this is a smaller venue called... The Venue.
It is a far cry from what Chris Billam-Smith has become accustomed to in recent years. He has commanded a legion of Bournemouth fans for all his world title bouts and thrives in a rowdy atmosphere.
Could it affect his performance?
For those few fans that have followed him to Saudi, they are likely to be very loud when Billam-Smith does emerge shortly.
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Surely the greatest British boxing underdog victory has to be Lloyd Honeyghan beating Don Currie in September 1986. No one saw that coming!
Keith from Cheltenham
Carl Froch knocking out Jermaine Taylor in the last 20 seconds, superb belief right until the end!
Michael
Chris Billam-Smith v Ramirez
Chris Billam-Smith sunk to his knees and tears streamed down his face after his name was announced as the new WBO cruiserweight champion of the world in front of 15,000 fans at Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium.
Lawrence Okolie, the man who tasted defeat that night in Bournemouth, was full of praise for Billam-Smith.
"I just tried to keep my composure but those things do play on your mind," he said.
"I trained really hard because I know what Chris is made of. He is made of the good stuff."
He's made of good stuff indeed, Lawrence.
Image source, Getty ImagesBillam-Smith v Ramirez
The tools are being wrapped. It's not long until go time.
Image source, Boxxer
Image source, BoxxerBillam-Smith v Ramirez
Is Gilberto Ramirez "levels above" Chris Billam-Smith? The Mexican's trainer Malik Scott thinks so.
Shane McGuigan jumped to his fighter's defence at Thursday's news conference: "We understand where Malik maybe feels in terms of skill level but this fight isn’t just about skill," McGuigan said.
"It’s about size, pace and power and resilience. They are going to be big factors in this fight.
"We’ve got lots of respect for Zurdo but (Scott) coming out with trashy comments like that we don’t have respect for."
Image source, Getty ImagesBillam-Smith v Ramirez
During camp, Chris Billam-Smith lives with his close friend Lee Cutler.
The pair met at the age of 14 and have been friends ever since.
"It's great to live around someone like him and see what he's going through, and all the success he's had," Cutler said.
One of the attributes that Cutler puts his flatmate's success down to is his meticulous routines.
"First thing in the morning he runs a cold bath which he says shocks the nervous system," Cutler said.
"He wears blue light-blocking glasses before bed to help him sleep and even has a little whiteboard in his bedroom about his opponents, with their strengths and weaknesses.
"Chris never really comes off plan, especially deep in camp. To be honest he gets better each camp, every time I just see him improving in every aspect."
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You know the drill by now boys and girls, there's not a fight night without a question for the audience!
With Chris Billam-Smith coming into this fight as an underdog, I want to know what your favourite away win for a British underdog is.
Kell Brook's win over Shawn Porter in the USA and Tyson Fury's outstanding points win over Vladimir Klitschko in Germany spring to mind.
Use the contact details above to get involved!
Image source, Getty ImagesBillam-Smith v Ramirez
Chris Billam-Smith is one of my favourite boxers and I'm sure he's one of yours too. 'The Gentleman' is one of the most loved fighters around and Bournemouth fan Conor has travelled to Saudi to support his hero.
"Chris is such a phenomenal guy," Conor said.
"I first came across him through his involvement with a local charity and he is so generous with his time, for a middle-aged man like me he is a bit of a hero and he is someone you just want to get behind and believe in."
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Cool as you like.
Image source, BoxxerWhile we're waiting for the proper action tonight, we might as well direct you to some of the great features you can read from last night's action.
It was more this morning's action actually, but there are some of us at BBC Sport who may be a bit confused what day it is.
Anyway! Check out the pieces below.
Billam-Smith v Ramirez
As well as Eddie Howe, looks like many of the Newcastle squad is at ringside. We've spotted Harvey Barnes and Joe Willock.
Saudi has spent millions bringing massive events to the region, but have been repeatedly accused of using famous sportspeople and events as a sportwashing tool.
The country has been criticised for their human rights record.
The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) own a majority of the Newcastle an d the Premier League club are in Saudi for a warm weather training for their players not on international duty.
Billam-Smith v Ramirez
Here is a man Chris Billam-Smith will be a big fan of!
Eddie Howe was the manager of Bournemouth when they won promotion to the Premier League in 2015.
Now in charge at Newcastle, Howe remains a firm favourite in Bournemouth.
Image source, Getty Images