Former WBO cruiserweight world champion Chris Billam-Smith is open to the possibility of sparring with Jake Paul, keen to see the true skill level of the YouTube personality turned boxer.
Although nothing is confirmed yet, Billam-Smith, who is set to travel to New York next week, mentioned he would bring his sparring gear just in case.
The main reason for his journey is to support his teammate, IBF and WBO world champion Ellie Scotney, in her super-bantamweight unification bout against Yamileth Mercado. This fight is part of a strong Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) event at Madison Square Garden, notably featuring the third clash between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano.
Given that Paul is a co-founder of MVP, he is expected to attract considerable attention during the week leading up to the fights.
Paul recently defeated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. via unanimous decision. This win controversially earned him a 14th-place ranking with the WBA, potentially positioning him for a challenge against unified champion Gilberto Ramirez.
In contrast, Billam-Smith (21-2, 13 KOs) lost his WBO title to Ramirez last November but returned to winning ways by defeating Brandon Glanton on points in April. Known as ‘The Gentleman’, he is now the WBO`s top-ranked contender, with his standing in world-level boxing already well-established, unlike Paul`s.
Considering their very different career trajectories, Billam-Smith remains largely unconvinced by the WBA`s decision to rank Paul so highly.
“I understand it`s a business,” the 34-year-old stated, “but the sport needs a degree of integrity. You shouldn`t be able to beat someone who has primarily fought at middleweight and super-middleweight [Chavez] and immediately get a world title opportunity.”
“It would be quite disappointing,” he added, “if Jake Paul got a shot at a world title before me, especially considering the effort I`ve put in to get here.”
Despite his reservations about Paul`s credentials, Billam-Smith extended an invitation to share the ring for some rounds with the less experienced, yet world-ranked, 200-pounder.
“I`ll have my sparring equipment with me in New York,” he said, teasingly. “So, if he`s up for it, he could test himself against a world-class fighter.”
“I would definitely be keen,” he concluded, “and it would be interesting to see his current level.”
