AN EMOTIONAL Chris Billam-Smith insisted defending his Commonwealth and European cruiserweight titles at the BIC meant the world to him – and would love a world title fight next.

In his first fight on home soil since December 2018, live in front of the Sky Sports cameras, the Shane McGuigan-trained star sealed a unanimous points victory over Isaac Chamberlain in an enthralling 12-round encounter.

All three judges gave Billam-Smith the verdict 117-111 on the scorecards. The victory extended his professional record to 16 wins and just one defeat.

Asked by the Daily Echo to give a message to the people of Bournemouth post-fight, Billam-Smith said: “I don’t know if there is any words. They are absolutely incredible.

“I mean that’s like I’ve always said. When I was watching Dean Perkins (the man who inspired him to get into the sport), chanting ‘Deano’ there was about 30 of us.

“There was 100 times that chanting my name and it’s emotional. It means everything.

“I just try to enjoy the moment. I am so lucky in life, I really am. I’ve got an amazing wife, child, we just bought a house. I can’t put it into words.”

Billam-Smith had to dig deep throughout the middle rounds of the contest against Chamberlain, whose only professional defeat before Saturday was against Lawrence Okolie.

Asked what got him through those moments, the 31-year-old replied: “My corner. I have got a great mindset. They know that. They just say the right things at the right time.

“Josh (Pritchard) and Shane, they are on the same wavelength and they just said the right things at the right time and they know me inside out and that’s why it’s so important to have a good, personal relationship with a coach and your coaches.

“They know me inside out. They know what to say at the right time and they just flip the switch when I needed to.

“We had a five-week camp, we managed it superbly. Thank you to Shane, Duncan, Sam who is my therapist, Josh Pritchard for managing it perfectly.

“It wasn’t a normal camp, so we had to take things out that we normally do and really contain it. I didn’t do a 12-round spar and things like that.

“But we knew I had the engine, the mindset and the consistency. My initials are CBS and consistency builds success.

“It means the world, it really does. I can’t believe it.”

Victory against Chamberlain could potentially open up the opportunity for Billam-Smith to fight for a world title.

While he insists he would not be fighting stablemate Okolie, Australia’s Jai Opetaia, Frenchman Arsen Goulamirian and DR Congo puncher Ilunga Makabu remain options for the former Poole ABC star.

Asked who and where he would like to fight for the world title, Billam-Smith said: “You know where I want it to be. I want it to be in Bournemouth. I don’t know what’s going on with Makabu – that’s a great fight.

“Goulamirian is fighting Ryad Merhy. Jai Opetaia is out for a while and obviously Lawrence I’m not going to box.

“I’d love to fight for a world title next.

“If not, let’s have a world title eliminator down here and we will have a world title at Dean Court in the summer next year.”