Lawrence Okolie v Chris Billam-Smith: Bournemouth's Billam-Smith wins WBO cruiserweight title

Chris Billam-Smith became the caller WBO cruiserweight champion arsenic helium dethroned erstwhile gym-mate Lawrence Okolie connected a memorable nighttime successful Bournemouth.

A frustrated Okolie was doubly docked points for holding and grappling arsenic helium mislaid his unbeaten record.

The judges' scorecards work 112-112, 116-107 and 115-108.

Okolie - who was portion of trainer Shane McGuigan's gym earlier the brace divided earlier this twelvemonth - suffered a archetypal vocation decision successful his 20th nonrecreational outing.

Billiam Smith, a British, Commonwealth and European champion, won his maiden satellite rubric arsenic helium extended his grounds to 18 wins and 1 loss.

Billam-Smith shines arsenic Okolie frustrates

On a wide summer's evening astatine the Vitality Stadium, and with the full-throated enactment of his Bournemouth faithful, 31-year-old Billam-Smith catapulted himself into boxing stardom.

The ambiance was that of a shot assemblage but besides remarkably intimate for a stadium fight. The dependable of jeers for Okolie, cheers for Billam-Smith and chants mocking shot rivals Southampton bounced betwixt the 4 stands.

Okolie was nether unit to present an entertaining fight, having been criticised successful the past for his awkward and acold from fan-friendly style, often grappling his mode to victory.

But determination were 2 clinches wrong the archetypal 30 seconds from Okolie, a motion of things to come.

The referee repeatedly separated the fighters each clip Billam-Smith closed the distance. The challenger had a frustrated look connected his look arsenic aboriginal arsenic the second, with Okolie fixed warnings for pushing and holding.

There were question marks astir whether Okolie would revert to benignant oregon if trainer SugarHill Steward could alteration the champion into a much entertaining fighter.

But Okolie would travel his azygous shots with much grappling, often bordering connected wrestling.

Having sparred implicit 300 rounds together, Billiam-Smith presumably knows Okolie's strengths and weaknesses amended than immoderate different cruiserweight.

Out of nowhere, helium unleashed a near hook which floored a reckless Okolie - who had ne'er been down arsenic a nonrecreational - successful the 4th round. The Londoner got backmost to his feet but his legs were unsteady.

Okolie was docked a constituent successful the 5th and seventh rounds, with referee Marcus McDonnell shrugging his shoulders to suggest helium had nary different choice.

The Hackney combatant fell to the canvas again successful the 10th, leaning into a Billam-Smith near hook.

A bloodied Billam-Smith withstood a flurry successful the 11th to erstwhile again driblet Okolie with a punch connected the wrong earlier seeing retired the win.