Chris Billam-Smith vs. Gilberto Ramirez: Brit wants to emulate David Haye

WBO cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith says David Haye is someone he “looks up to” as he was the last Brit to unify world championship belts in the division.

Haye captured the WBA and WBC titles in November 2007 and Britain's Billam-Smith will be looking to emulate him when he takes on WBA cruiserweight champion Gilberto Ramirez on November 16.

“It's a fight I'm really looking forward to and a great opportunity for me,” Billam-Smith told BBC Sport.

“I’m just glad it’s a unification fight. The last Brit to unify at cruiserweight was David Haye, who I have great admiration for in terms of his fighting style and the way he dismantled his opponents.”

“It would be an honor to be a unified British World Champion.”

“The Gentleman” puts his WBO title on the line for the third time after defenses against Mateusz Masternak and Richard Riakporhe.

The 33-year-old Ramirez is heading into his third fight at cruiserweight after successes at super middleweight and light heavyweight. He became the first Mexican to win a cruiserweight title when he defeated Arsen Goulamirian for the WBA belt in March.

The only defeat on “Zurdo’s” record came in the light heavyweight division against current WBA and IBO champion Dmitry Bivol.

“Zurdo is a southpaw and that brings its own problems,” Billam-Smith added.

“I'm confident fighting him, but I don't have that much experience fighting southpaws. He brings a lot of different characteristics, is super tough and has a really good punch.”

“I would say I have more of an advantage being committed to the weight, but he also has his advantages as he will be used to faster guys as he moves up the weights.”

“It’s a really exciting fight and a huge challenge for me.” [Trainer] Shane [McGuigan] and I'm already working on a game plan. People saw a different side of me in my last fight, but this time there will be even more surprise in what people will see.

Billam-Smith won his WBO title on a memorable night in his hometown at Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium, defeating Lawrence Okolie in front of a packed crowd.

He recently sat down with Steve Bunce and BBC Radio 5's Live Boxing podcast to reminisce and talk about some of the stories from the evening.