Badou Jack, the WBC cruiserweight world champion, is targeting a title unification with Jai Opetaia or Gilberto Ramirez.
But both Chris Billam-Smith and Callum Smith have called out Jack and the champion didn’t rule out a bout with either.
“The British guys, Callum Smith and Billam-Smith, they get brave because they know I’m a little bit older and coming from a long lay-off. That’s when they get brave,” Jack told Sky Sports.
“But I didn’t hear no one calling me out before. It’s okay. It’s good. That’s how you get the big fights. Also I’m a big name. They want to get paid, they want to get the big fights, I understand that too.
“[With] the big fights that I’ve been in, compared to the other champions, I have a way bigger name so obviously that’s a bigger fight for them.”
When it comes to fighting Billam-Smith or Callum Smith, Jack continued: “If it’s a big money fight why not?
“But I’m focusing on trying to become undisputed. None of these guys have a belt, but you never know.”
Britons George Groves, James DeGale and Nathan Cleverly have all attempted to beat Jack at earlier stages of his career. None of them succeeded.
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Highlights from Gilberto Ramirez’s clash with Chris Billam-Smith for the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles.
The other cruiserweight belt-holders are IBF champion Opetaia and Ramirez, who unified the WBO and WBA titles in November with his victory over Billam-Smith.
“They’re both southpaws, they’re both good fighters so I would love to fight them,” Jack said of Opetaia and Ramirez.
“I’m not saying that they’re not good fighters but they don’t have the experience that I have on the big stage,” he added. “The unifications, the big fights, that’s what I’m here for.”
Jack believes Ramirez and Opetaia could box each other first. But that could create the opportunity for him to box the winner in an undisputed title contest.
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Jai Opetaia showed off his spiteful combinations as he punished Jack Massey and forced the stoppage in round six.
“That would be amazing,” the WBC titlist said. “Opetaia, I think he’s a little bit younger. I know Ramirez has more experience. But it’s 50-50, maybe a little bit more to Opetaia. He’s a bit younger and fresher. For me it doesn’t matter.
“Whoever they say is the best, that’s the one I want to fight.”
Jack is due to box on the undercard of Canelo Alvarez vs William Scull in Riyadh on May 4, although mandatory challenger Ryan Rozicki has had to withdraw due to an injury.
Could Canelo fight happen?
After Jack first won his cruiserweight belt in 2023, he did discuss a potential fight with Alvarez but the negotiations collapsed after the rival teams could not agree on a catchweight to box at.
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Highlights of the thrilling light heavyweight fight between Callum Smith and Joshua Buatsi.
“He wanted me to lose too much weight,” Jack explained. “They wanted me to fight at 180lbs, 20lbs under the limit. It makes no sense. Before I moved up I could have made that weight. But not anymore.
“I told him I could go to 190lbs, 10lbs under my weight class. That’s more than fair.”
He would, though, be open to revisiting the possibility of fighting Canelo. “I know he’s going to fight Terence Crawford,” Jack said. “I think he’s too small for cruiserweight. But who knows? If I got hold of all four of the belts, maybe.
“Let’s see.”
Watch Chris Billam-Smith on the Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn undercard, live on Sky Sports Box Office on April 26.
