Ryan Rozicki is firing a warning shot at Chris Billam-Smith ahead of their June 6 showdown: don't look past me.

The cruiserweight contender believes his opponent is making a critical mistake by already eyeing a future clash with Jai Opetaia. While Billam-Smith has openly discussed plans to win this fight and then target the division's biggest names, Rozicki sees a fighter getting ahead of himself.

"He's just responding to questions, but the way he's responding shows me that they've already got their eyes set on Jai," Rozicki said. "They already got their eyes set on these bigger fights than me, and I don't think you should ever look past somebody like me. If he switches off for even a fraction of a second, then he'll be switched off."

It's a classic boxing mind game—the underdog trying to plant doubt in the favorite's mind. And there's some logic to it. In a sport where one punch can change everything, even a momentary lapse in focus can be devastating. If Rozicki capitalizes on any complacency, he'd suddenly be the one in line for those career-defining opportunities.

Billam-Smith, however, isn't buying the narrative. He insists that fielding questions about future fights doesn't distract from his preparation. In fact, he argues that planning ahead provides extra motivation for the task at hand, and that he's more than capable of compartmentalizing both goals.

The math is simple: in one month, these two men will step into the ring, and only one will walk away with their plans intact. For Rozicki, it's about proving that the future can wait. For Billam-Smith, it's about proving that focus and ambition can coexist.