Izuchukwu OkosiBournemouth-born Chris Billam-Smith arguably the most popular athlete in the city, successfully defended his WBO world cruiserweight title, turning away Polish invader Mateusz Masternak who retired on his stool after seven rounds with a cracked rib on Sunday evening.
The win goes into the books as a TKO8 as the bell rang before the fight was waived off.
Billam-Smith (19-1, 13 KOs) was making was first defense of the title he won with an upset of previously undefeated Nigerian-born Briton Lawrence Okolie.
That contest was notable for a preposterous scorecard.
Although Billam-Smith had Okolie on the canvas three times and Okolie had a point deducted, one of the judges scored the fight a draw.
However on Sunday evening, Masternak (47-6) had the edge after six frames.
Billam-Smith came on strong in the seventh and that proved to be the final round of the fight. His next fight is expected to be a rematch with countryman Richard Riakporhe who saddled him with his lone defeat, winning a split decision when both were up-and-comers.
Billam-Smith is trained by Shane McGuigan. Masternak had won six straight coming in since losing a 12-round decision to Cuban KO artist Yuniel Dorticos in 2018.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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