Old scars still sting, and Billam‑Smith wonders: can he finally settle the score?
A decade ago, the two met as amateurs and Clarke edged out Billam‑Smith in the national final.
That victory sent Clarke onto the GB squad, where he blossomed into an Olympian.
Billam‑Smith never captured the elite crown, but his pro rise earned British, Commonwealth, European and world belts.
The 2016 amateur defeat, one of only two losses to Clarke, still cuts deep.
Back then the title was his obsession; after three prior finals he was the favorite to finally claim it and earn an Olympic spot.
Instead, Clarke—who had stepped away from the sport before an unheralded comeback—took the top amateur spot.
When the three‑round bout ended, Clarke’s arms rose and he celebrated with a wild dance in the ring.
“I was dancing like a madman,” Clarke recalled, “If I hadn’t won, would I ever have made the national team?”
“Chev wasn’t expected in the final, yet he toppled every favorite on his way there,” he added.
Billam‑Smith admitted, “I wouldn’t celebrate like that, but he earned his moment.”
But I think Billam‑Smith’s hunger for redemption is genuine; after beating Richard Riakporhe, he’s set his sights on Clarke.
He says his style has flipped completely—once on the back foot as an amateur, now leading the attack with short, sharp punches.
Beyond tactics, the emotional payoff fuels him more than any technical puzzle.
“Someone might study why I love avenging a loss,” he mused, smiling.
“My inner drive pushes me to win; that fire got me where I am today.”
“Overcoming a defeat and then reversing it feels incredible, especially when you enter the ring as the underdog.”
Clarke proved his danger recently, rising twice after a knock‑down to stop former European champ Jack Massey.
Billam‑Smith noted, “Chev’s speed stayed sharp even when hurt, landing the right hand that began Jack’s downfall—making him extremely dangerous.”
He added, “I trust my skills, yet I stay aware of every possible scenario if I slip.”
“I thrive on that fear of a big puncher; with Chev it’s exactly that edge.”
Clarke now has a point to prove in Saturday’s bout, having watched Billam‑Smith eclipse him as a pro, and he enters as the underdog.
It mirrors their amateur clash—people dismissed him then, and he feels the same fire now.
“My story isn’t finished. I set goals and will chase them with integrity.”
“Come November 7, his bitterness meets my attitude, so fans are in for a hell of a fight.”
European champion Viddal Riley, who boxed Billam‑Smith as an amateur and Clarke as a pro, understands the lingering grudge.
“Chris had to claw his way out of that mud; nine minutes still haunted him for years. He’ll carry that into the weekend.”
“That chip on his shoulder has driven him to capture every possible belt.”
“Chev knows a win is essential to become a division force; otherwise he’ll linger on the fringe of big fights.”