Recently, the WBO ordered a fight between Joshua Buatsi and Willy Hutchinson, with a date for purse bids put forth. Now, no bidding battle will be needed, as both sides have reportedly agreed to get it on. The date and venue for this one are yet to be revealed, but fans can look forward to a very interesting matchup here, one that will contest the WBO interim belt.
Buatsi, 18-0(13) is coming off an impressive win over Dan Azeez, with the Accra-born 31 year old winning the British and Commonwealth titles. Scotsman Hutchinson, 18-1(13) and the younger man by six years at age 25, is coming off a career-best win over Craig Richards, the points win seeing Hutchinson pick up the vacant WBC silver strap at 175 pounds.
Both fighters are loaded with confidence, with Hutchinson full of Tyson Fury-type swagger (Hutchinson’s Fury impression after beating Richards was, well, watch it and see if you wish…)
This fight, a genuine 50-50, all-British affair, could be lively. It will certainly be lively – and that’s just the build-up and the anticipated face-to-face. Credit to both men for being able to make a deal here and not have to allow their respective teams to duke it out in a bidding battle.
Both men aim to win full world titles in the 175-pound division, which is currently jointly ruled by Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev. So much will be at stake and on the line when this fight goes down.
Can YOU pick a winner here?
That massive, for-all-the-marbles light heavyweight showdown between unbeaten rival rulers Beterbiev and Bivol is, of course, now set for October 12. Buatsi and Hutchinson will perhaps have settled their differences by then.
As of right now, it remains to be revealed whether Buatsi vs. Hutchinson will be a headline fight or feature on a stellar undercard.