Polish veteran Mateusz ‘Master’ Masternak 47-5 (31) knows his first shot at a world title could well be his last.
The 36-year-old turned pro 17 years ago and while he has faced a number of former and future world champions including Tony Bellew, Grigory Drozd, Jean-Marc Mormeck and Yuniel Dorticos, he is yet to get the opportunity to wrap a world championship belt around his waist.
That will change when he challenges WBO cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith 18-1 (12) at Bournemouth International Centre at Bournemouth, England on December 10.
“Finally I have a chance,” Masternak told Sky Sports.
The Bellew fight for the vacant European crown eight years ago in England is one opportunity Masternak believes slipped through his fingers. In a close one, all three judges saw the bout in favour of Bellew seven rounds to five. He went on to win the WBC world title in his very next bout.
“It was a tough fight, close fight,” Masternak said. “Tony won, maybe if I’d had the fight in Poland, I would have won. It happened in the UK so he won.
“I’ve had many great rivals in the past, like Tony Bellew, Grigory Drozd, Jean-Marc Mormeck, Dorticos, it’s extremely difficult to say who was the most difficult one.”
Masternak has not boxed for more than a year. His last fight came against Jason ‘Warrior’ Whateley 10-1 (9) in his home country in October last year, handing the Australian his first loss by unanimous decision.
England’s Billam-Smith, 33, will be making the first defence of the hardware he won from Lawrence Okolie 19-1 (14) in an ugly fight back in May. Okolie was down three times in the fight and deducted one point for holding in both the fifth and seventh rounds, while Billam-Smith suffered a cut over his left eye.
Billam-Smith will be looking to wash the taste of that bout out of his mouth against Masternak, who he expects to pu up a stern challenge.
“He was stopped once but that was 10 years ago. He’s a good all-rounder, has a good shot selection, good punch power, he’s really durable, has good feet – he’s the most well-rounded boxer I have faced by far,” Billam-Smith told Sky Sports.
“I know the dangers he possesses and know I have got to be on it. He’s been through every experience bar a world title fight, somehow. This is his first, I know what that feeling is like.”
Masternak is confident he has the seasoning to take Billam-Smith into deep waters and drown him.
“I think every fight has let me progress. Against Tony Bellew I was inexperienced, but now I think that I am ready just to prove my skills, show my best and this is the time that I can get the title,” Masternak said.
“Chris is a great fighter, he doesn’t have a lot of weaknesses, in his last fight he was able to beat Okolie. I have to watch him carefully and look at all his weaknesses.
“The message to Chris and his fans is when I take the belt we’re going to a Polish boxing event in London.”
