Ryan Rozicki Expects Judges To Favor Billam-Smith

“Of course, there’s a disadvantage. I’m going to be up against Chris. I’m going to be up against the referee, the judges, the officials, and those doctors. They’ll be looking for any reason to stop the fight so that he can get the win. I already know that,” said Rozicki to Fighthype.

When asked how he plans to avoid leaving the result in the hands of the officials, Rozicki offered a simple response.

“With my hands.”

The fight marks Billam-Smith’s debut under his new multi-fight agreement with Zuffa Boxing. The Bournemouth native will be fighting in front of his home fans as a heavy favorite against one of the division’s biggest punchers.

Rozicki also revealed a level of honesty rarely heard from fighters when discussing his own record. Looking back at his first fight against Emiliano Peralta, he admitted he believes the judges got the decision wrong.

“That should have been a loss on my record. I still say that to this day. The first one was his, and that was the mistake I made,” Rozicki said. “I underestimated him going in.”

Rozicki explained that he entered that fight already looking toward a world title opportunity and paid the price.

“I was looking straight at the WBC world title. I was thinking, ‘I’m going to knock this guy out in the first round.’ That’s what I did. I looked past him,” said Rozicki.

Saturday’s fight gives Rozicki another chance to force himself into the cruiserweight picture. Billam-Smith may have home advantage, but Rozicki sounds like a fighter who has already decided a close fight won’t be enough.