Zuffa Boxing 12 results, highlights: Cheavon Clarke stops Chris Billam-Smith, Da’Mazion Vanhouter shines again

After twice scoring upset decisions over former cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith in their amateur days, former British Olympian Cheavon Clarke added an upset stoppage victory Saturday over his rival in the pro ranks at Zuffa Boxing 12.

Clarke (13-2, 10 KOs), a native of Jamaica who trains out of the U.K., took out the nearly 5-to-1 betting favorite in Billam-Smith (22-3, 14 KOs) during the main event of the Zuffa-promoted card inside Copper Box Arena in London. Nicknamed "C4," Clarke twice dropped Billam-Smith in the seventh round before referee Lee Every stopped the bout at 1:24 of the round while CBS was pinned against the ropes.

Billam-Smith, a 36-year-old from the United Kingdom, lost a pair of 2016 amateur bouts to Clarke, including in the final of the British national championships and later that year in the English Title Series.

"It has been 10 years, but I don't have no beef with Chris," Clarke said. "He has been the world champion, so give him his credit. I'm not going to be someone I'm not [and disrespect him]. Shout out to Chris."

After Billam-Smith lost his WBO cruiserweight title via decision to Gilberto Ramirez in 2024, he won his next two…

Original source: https://www.cbssports.com/