Pat Brown ordered to face Cheavon Clarke after Billam-Smith upset

Pat Brown has been ordered to defend his British cruiserweight title against Cheavon Clarke, who stopped former world champion Chris Billam-Smith last weekend.

The British Boxing Board of Control has called for purse bids by noon on 9 December, with the contest to take place by the end of March 2027. The order sets up a demanding defence for Brown, but it does not mean the fight has been agreed.

Pat Brown vs Cheavon Clarke: what the Board ruled

The Board’s November British Championships circular lists Patrick Brown (holder) against Cheavon Clarke as a mandatory defence. Purse bids must reach the Board’s head office by 12 noon on Wednesday 9 December, and the end of March 2027 is the deadline for the fight to take place.

Brown: seven fights, seven stoppages

Brown is one of Matchroom’s most exciting young fighters. The Manchester cruiserweight boxed for Team GB at the Paris Olympics before turning professional.

He has stopped all seven of his professional opponents. In September he knocked out John Hedges in the sixth round at Co-op Live in Manchester to win the vacant British and Commonwealth titles.

But he has never faced anyone like Clarke. Seven fights is very early to meet a former British champion who is fresh off the best win of his career.

Clarke: the danger man

Clarke has held the British title before. He is also an Olympian, having boxed for Team GB at Tokyo 2020.

On 7 November he produced a huge upset at the Copper Box Arena on a Zuffa Boxing show, dropping Billam-Smith twice in the seventh round before the referee stopped it. It was the first stoppage defeat of Billam-Smith’s professional career, and Clarke had already beaten him twice as an amateur.

Not everyone agreed with the timing. Zuffa promoter Dana White said: “I thought it was early.” Clarke disagreed. “If he was blocking the shots he wouldn’t have been dancing,” he said. We covered the night in Cheavon Clarke stops Chris Billam-Smith in seventh-round upset.

That win moved Clarke to 13-2, and straight into the British title picture.

Who will promote Brown vs Clarke?

That is still unresolved. Brown is promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom, while Clarke’s latest win came on Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing card. There is history there too, as Clarke began his professional career with Matchroom.

The two camps can still agree terms before the deadline. If they do not, the fight will go to the purse bid on 9 December, and whichever promoter submits the winning bid will stage it. Neither side has said whether it plans to bid.

Other British title orders

The same circular set purse bids for 9 December for several other mandatory defences. They include Lewis Edmondson against Daniel Azeez at light heavyweight and Bilal Fawaz against Carl Fail at super welterweight.

At welterweight, Constantin Ursu will defend against Ben Crocker for Frank Warren, with date and venue to come. Callum Simpson against Mark Jeffers at super middleweight will be promoted by Ben Shalom after the two sides agreed terms.

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