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Add FightsATW on GoogleWhat’s at stake for Joshua Buatsi (20-1, 13 KOs) and Willy Hutchinson (20-2, 14 KOs) ahead of their Saturday rematch?
The two will do battle for the vacant WBC light heavyweight title at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. It will stream on DAZN.
Let’s look at what makes this fight so compelling.
The Battle of Two Great Amateurs
By now, most know that Buatsi was a 2016 British Olympian. He was also very popular.
What some might not know is that Hutchinson also has his own accolades. Considered one of the best Scottish amateur boxers ever, Hutchinson became the first Scottish amateur to win the world championships. He won the juniors in 2014 and then the world championships in 2016.
The great amateur path so far has proven less fruitful than the pros’. Buatsi has taken a slow, deliberate approach to the top of the division. It took until 2024 for him to get his first significant and compelling fight with Dan Azeez, followed by his win over Hutchinson.
For Hutchinson, he was stopped by Lennox Clarke in 2021. Since then, he has improved, but questions remain about whether he can reach his potential.
The fight can be summed up as follows: Two talented fighters with average pro careers, despite major pedigree.
Buatsi Needs This
After beating Hutchinson, Buatsi hit hard times. He lost to Callum Smith and was lucky to get a majority decision over Zach Parker. After the biggest win of his career, Buatsi has struggled.
One notable thing has been his identity. I see him as a boxer, but he once told me he is heavily inspired by Joe Frazier. In his last two fights, he has been willing to move forward and press. That isn’t the ideal version of Buatsi (at least to me).
Now, coming off a loss and a bad performance, along with a career marked by indifference and fights most fans didn’t call for, Buatsi is 33. He is no longer the young guy with time. He needs a win and then move into the title picture.
Hutchinson is The Momentum Guy
I am a big momentum guy. I like to see a fighter enter a bout going full speed, and since losing to Buatsi, Hutchinson has become that guy. Wins over Mark Jeffers and Ezra Taylor might not move the needle for U.S. fight fans, but they are credible. Hutchinson, if nothing else, is showing that losses don’t define him and that he can reinvent himself. A win here not only makes him a world champion; it also makes him one of the bigger modern European beltholders, as he would be up there with Dalton Smith.
The Division Needs Youth
Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev gave us two great fights. After their second bout in February 2025, Bivol took a hiatus. Since then, no one has really stepped up, and both Bivol and Beterbiev have become inactive. While fighters like Najee Lopez and Atif Oberlton are interesting contenders, we need a new wave of fighters, and potentially this fight could signal the start of a new era in the division.
What Do The Odds And Eye Test Say?
The odds are essentially even. The eye test is similar. I want to favor Buatsi, but his last fight was weird. Hutchinson’s last fight against Taylor might be his best as a pro. Do you go with momentum, or with who you think is better? It is truly a compelling 50-50 fight.
What to Watch on The Undercard?
John Joe Carrigan
A great young junior middleweight who looks like a future titleholder. He could be in the running for 2027 prospect of the year and is worth watching.
Bradley Rea vs. Ezra Taylor
These are the fights I love. Rea is someone I am fond of from the undercard boxing, and Taylor was a heavily promoted fighter who came up short against Hutchinson. It is sink-or-swim for two more than likely domestic-level British fighters. Sometimes these produce great fights.
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