Cheavon Clarke upset expectations to take out both Jack Massey and former world champion Chris Billam-Smith this year; Billam-Smith had never been dropped or stopped before; Watch Carlos Adames vs Gerome Warburton from 4pm live on Sky Sports Mix\u00a0on Saturday
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\nCheavon Clarke should be on the shortlist for British fighter of the year after his victories over Jack Massey and Chris Billam-Smith. Clarke went into both of those fights perceived as the underdog and won both by stoppage. Billam-Smith, renowned for his toughness, had never been knocked down before. He’d never even been dropped before.<\/p>\n
But Clarke put him down twice, heavily, and hammered him to an inside-the-distance defeat. He’s in the kind of form that should make him a candidate for British boxer of the year. “He definitely should be [on the shortlist] and hopefully next year he could maybe get a world title and be the UK fighter of the year,” Dan Azeez, a former European champion, told Sky Sports. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
\n“He had two back to back losses and then he’s come back, beat Jack Massey in a stoppage, got off the canvas to win, and now he’s just beat Chris Billam-Smith.<\/p>\n
“He’s just come and destroyed him in excellent fashion,” Azeez added. “Those are the kind of stories that inspire people.”
\nBritain has strong contenders for boxer of the year, not least Daniel Dubois becoming a two-time heavyweight world champion. “It has to be Daniel Dubois, if I’m being honest,” Azeez said, adding other contenders: “Willie Hutchinson WBC light-heavyweight champion\u2026 Ellie Scotney [who went undisputed]. “Chev, he could be,” he continued.<\/p>\n
“He’s definitely in the mix, he’s done very well this year and my guy Denzel Bentley [who became world champion and beat Shane Mosley Jr].”
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\nFormer world champion George Groves told Sky Sports: “He’s had a great year.” Though Dubois would be his overall pick too. “When you talk about Willie Hutchinson winning a world title this year, Daniel Dubois – two Wardley fights. Probably Dubois. To get off the floor in the first fight and look so spectacular in the second fight,” he noted.<\/p>\n
Clarke though deserves full credit for his performance against a former world champion in Billam-Smith. “A great win for him,” Groves said. “He had a plan, he stuck to it and found that shot that no one’s found so far who’s fought Chris Billam-Smith. It was a great, great performance from him.”
\nIt was an expert finish.<\/p>\n
“He stayed on him, didn’t get reckless,” Groves said. “Chris Billam-Smith’s got fantastic powers of recovery, can weather a storm, can fight tired, can fight buzzed and still be effective so good for him.”
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\nIt probably a merits a fight with someone like Jai Opetaia, widely regarded as the best fighter in the division. But Opetaia has a heavyweight bout against Deontay Wilder in December and won’t be available to box for some time. What should Clarke do next?<\/p>\n
“Does that feel like a step down if he fights [Ryan] Rozicki or [Brandon] Glanton? It would be a good fight,” Groves said. “Maybe Chris Billam-Smith will campaign for a rematch but maybe that’s not the best thing for him right now. “Chev’s got the world at his feet in many ways now.”
\nWatch Carlos Adames vs Gerome Warburton from 4pm live on Sky Sports Mix on Saturday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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