Zuffa Boxing promoter Dana White publicly criticized the officiating in the heavyweight bout between Chris Billam-Smith and Cheavon Clarke, arguing that the referee stopped the fight too early. The controversial decision came at the Copper Box Arena in London, where referee Lee Every halted the action in the seventh round. White, who oversees the promotion, stated, “I thought it was early,” suggesting that the champion was still capable of competing despite the pressure he faced.
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The fight marked a historic low for Billam-Smith, who had never previously been dropped or stopped in his professional career. Clarke, an old amateur rival, dominated the seventh round by putting Billam-Smith down twice before the referee intervened. Although Billam-Smith remained on his feet when the bell rang, he shook his head in visible protest, indicating his belief that he could have weathered the storm. This marked the first time the Londoner found himself in such a dire predicament against a top-tier opponent.
Clarke, however, defended the stoppage, pointing to Billam-Smith’s defensive breakdown as evidence that the fight should have ended. “If he was blocking the shots he wouldn’t have been dancing,” Clarke said, implying that the champion’s erratic movement was a sign of exhaustion and vulnerability rather than tactical maneuvering. The result cements Clarke’s status as a formidable challenger, while Billam-Smith faces a significant reputational hurdle after his first professional stoppage.
Source: Sky Sports
