Billam-Smith proves point in front of home fans to take Okolie’s title

Chris Billam-Smith is the new WBO cruiserweight world champion after defeating the previously unbeaten Lawrence Okolie, who was knocked down three times and also docked two points for his ugly and excessive brawling. Two of the judges had Billam-Smith a comprehensive winner by margins of 116-107 and 115-108 while the third official bizarrely decided it was a 112-112 draw. It was a ridiculous score and the first two judges at least captured the mayhem of Okolie’s desperate tactics and the controlled discipline of Billam-Smith who deserved all the plaudits.

A shuddering left hook from Billam-Smith dropped Okolie in the fourth. The champion lay on his right side, looking stunned by the power of his former training partner. Okolie held on but Billam-Smith caught him with a right uppercut before the end of the round. A nick over Billam-Smith’s right eye opened up but he looked supremely confident as he stalked Okolie in round five. Okolie was reduced to yet more holding and the referee deducted a point midway through the round for his grappling.

In the sixth a chopping right from Okolie reminded Billam-Smith that the fight was far from over. Okolie carries real power in his fists but too often he preferred to hold and brawl.

The next warning, in round seven, was for the use of his shoulder. An irate Marcus McDonnell then took Okolie into a corner to admonish him. It did curb Okolie’s determination to rough up Billam-Smith with illegal tactics and McDonnell marched him back to the corner yet again – and docked him another point. At least Okolie landed a hard and legitimate combination before the end of a messy round.

Before the start of the eighth Okolie was instructed to box rather than brawl. Boos from the crowd reverberated