CHRIS BILLAM-SMITH knows in his mind how Saturday’s world cruiserweight title unification bout against Gilberto Ramirez will play out.

The 34-year-old puts his WBO belt on the line for the third time since becoming champion in May 2023. In his three world title fights to date only once has ‘The Gentleman’ being the favourite to win. Ramirez, the WBA champion, is odds-on to send Billam-Smith back to Bournemouth belt-less.

Speaking to Boxing News in Riyadh, where Saturday’s main event will take place, Billam-Smith explained where he has the advantage against Ramirez and how the fight ends.

“I think I’m faster than him,” he said.

“He throws more shots in combination but I think I’m definitely quicker than him. He keeps a really good pace and a really good base and he’s able to throw off it and he doesn’t show his attacks. But they come out quite slyly and you can’t really see them coming sometimes with shots he throws. I think that’s why people get hit off him. He’s weighty-handed enough to earn that respect and you can’t just walk through those shots and hope you’re not going to get hurt by them. I think the speed is with me 100%.”

“And then you’ve got everything else,” he continued. “The strength, the intensity I fight at which I believe no one in the world can live with at cruiserweight. It’s not just because it’s Ramirez, it’s because of who I am. I think that’s a big focus for me.”

Ramirez has lost just once in 47 fights – to Dmitry Bivol – and Billam-Smith not only believes he will add a second defeat but won’t need the 12 rounds to do so.

“I believe I get rid of him,” he predicted.

“I believe he won’t be able to live with my pace. He is teak tough, taken plenty of big shots in his career and stood there but I believe I’ll get rid of him in the second half of the fight.”