Chris-Billam Smith survived an early scare to spectacularly knock out Armend Xhoxhaj in his hometown of Bournemouth.<\/span><\/p>\n Billam-Smith, 32, was hurt in the second round by an overhand right but recovered to stop Xhoxhaj cold with a right hook in the fifth.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n The British cruiserweight now sets his sights on securing a world title shot in the new year.<\/span><\/p>\n “Let’s go Dean Court and let’s get a world title,” Billam-Smith said.<\/span><\/p>\n Boxxer promoter Ben Shalom suggested IBF champion Jai Opetaia was prepared to travel to AFC Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium, also known by its historical name Dean Court, to defend his title.<\/span><\/p>\n “We’ll be back in the summer at the stadium,” Shalom said. “All the world champions want to fight in the UK and we’re going to see it.<\/span><\/p>\n “Jai Opetaia wants this fight, Chris Billam-Smith wants this fight.<\/span><\/p>\n “He’s going to fight for a world title in Bournemouth and it’s going to be unbelievable.”<\/span><\/p>\n Despite being unheralded, Xhoxhaj managed to unsettle Billam-Smith in the early rounds with his speed.<\/span><\/p>\n Billam-Smith found himself on shaky legs in the second after Xhoxhaj hit him with a big right hand, and he was told off by trainer Shane McGuigan for leaving his chin too high when he moved out of exchanges.<\/span><\/p>\n Xhoxhaj repeated the trick in the third before landing a lovely uppercut.<\/span><\/p>\n Billam-Smith struggled to settle into any kind of rhythm, until the troublesome Xhoxhaj was undone by a stunning moment in the fifth round.<\/span><\/p>\n Billam-Smith landed a ferocious uppercut to stun Xhoxhaj and after a barrage of short shots, put the Kosovo fighter down with a powerful right hook. <\/span><\/p>\n McGuigan calmed a joyous Billam-Smith while medics attended to Xhoxhaj, who thankfully got back to his feet moments later.<\/span><\/p>\n “I wasn’t switched on enough at the beginning and got caught with a few silly shots, but I got the job done, adapted, listened to the corner,” Billam-Smith said, whose record is now 17-1.<\/span><\/p>\n “He buzzed me momentarily. I was probably more annoyed, shouldn’t be getting caught with shots like that. <\/span><\/p>\n “His timing was good and I knew it was coming, but couldn’t adjust.”<\/span><\/p>\n Dan Azeez <\/strong>added Commonwealth light-heavyweight to his British title after beating <\/span>Rocky Fielding <\/strong>in eight rounds.<\/span><\/p>\n Fielding, 35, missed weight by a pound on Friday to end his chances of claiming either title and was ultimately broken down by a determined and clinical Azeez.<\/span><\/p>\n Azeez set a ferocious pace, fighting at close range, and earned a warning from the referee over potential head clashes.<\/span><\/p>\n One such clash in the second round opened a cut on Fielding’s face as the challenger adopted a counter-punching approach for much of the fight.<\/span><\/p>\n Azeez, 33, drilled in body shots whenever he could and dropped Fielding right at the end of the seventh round with a solid punch.<\/span><\/p>\n The bell arrived to save Fielding, but he was in trouble again in the eighth under a barrage of shots.<\/span><\/p>\n An uppercut followed by left hooks hurt Fielding, prompting his corner to throw in the towel.<\/span><\/p>\n “He was tough. I thought I might get him out there a bit earlier, but he showed his experience and even when I tried to blast him out he knew when to tuck up and hit back,” Azeez said after his win.<\/span><\/p>\n Azeez moved to 18-0 with the victory and now sets his sights on winning the European title.<\/span><\/p>\n “There’s not a harder-working fighter on the British circuit,” Azeez’s promoter Shalom said.<\/span><\/p>\n “The guy’s hungry and he’s now showing his levels.<\/span><\/p>\n “A massive 2023 ahead, there’s some big names in the division and he’s right up there.”<\/span><\/p>\n Caroline Dubois <\/strong>maintained her unbeaten start to her professional career with a first-round stoppage of <\/span>Sofia Rodriguez<\/strong>. <\/span><\/p>\n![\"Armend](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/139BA\/production\/_128041308_b'mouth-billam-smithvxhoxhaj-21.jpg\")
<\/span><\/span>Azeez’s rise continues<\/h3>\n
![\"Dan](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/10DFA\/production\/_128041196_b'mouth-azeezvfielding-28.jpg\")
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![\"Across](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/94AD\/production\/_127816083_bbc_header_grey_8-1x-1.jpg\")
<\/span><\/span>![\"Across](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/BBBD\/production\/_127816084_bbc_footer-1920x38-1x-1.jpg\")
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