Willy Hutchinson vs Joshua Buatsi, WBO Interim Light Heavyweight Title 21 September 2024 Photo by Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing. The fighters after their fight, won by Joshua Butasi.
Joshua Buatsi sent Willy Hutchinson to the canvas twice but still sweated out a split decision.
The undefeated light heavyweight earned an interim version of the WBO light heavyweight title after prevailing on two scorecards. Judge Grzegorz Molenda (113-112 Hutchinson) unfortunately missed a fun fight. The ship was righted by Howard Foster (115-110) and Salvador Salva (117-108), who awarded Buatsi the victory on Saturday at Wembley Stadium in London.
Hutchinson refused to go away, even as Buatsi increased the pressure throughout the night. The brave Scot applied early pressure on the more polished Buatsi, a bronze medalist for Great Britain in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Buatsi returned the favor the second time around. The Ring’s No. 4-rated light heavyweight has found a regular home for his right hand. Both fighters infuriated referee Steve Gray for separate offences. Buatsi was cautioned for leading with his head while Hutchinson was lectured after landing an elbow.
A clash of heads left Hutchinson with a cut just outside his right eye. He overcame the injury to participate late in the fifth, a frame otherwise controlled by Buatsi.
The tide turned big in the sixth.
Buatsi recorded the first of two shutouts on the night. A right hand staggered Hutchinson before he was forced to the deck. Hutchinson beat the count, but there were legitimate concerns that the fight would end soon after.
Naturally, Hutchinson came out guns blazing in the seventh round. Buatsi was caught off guard but also got a break when Hutchinson foolishly crashed head first. It halted his own rally and drew a harsh warning from the referee. Buatsi came out on the sidelines with a right hand over the top to stun Hutchinson.
Time was called late in the eighth when the lights dimmed briefly. The case was quickly resolved and action resumed.
Buatsi sent Hutchinson to the canvas for a second time late in the ninth. A bad shot to Hutchinson’s midsection forced The Ring’s No. 9-rated light heavyweight to the canvas. Not only did he beat the count again, but he took the fight to Buatsi in the tenth. However, the blow was no longer on his hands, as Buatsi largely dominated behind his jab.
Hutchinson attempted a last gasp rally in the twelfth and final round. Neither fighter seemed to have the energy to close the show as the frame was marred by clinches. The loss snapped a five-fight winning streak for Hutchinson (18-2, 13 KOs).
Buatsi (19-0, 13 knockouts) is now a mandatory challenger in the guard.
The belt earned on Saturday puts him in line for an eventual shot at the full WBO title. He will have to wait behind two other interim titles.
David Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) is guaranteed to take on the winner of the October 12 Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol RING Championship in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia next. The former super middleweight titlist claimed a secondary WBC belt at 175 in a June 15 win over Oleksandr Gvozdyk.
Behind him is two-division secondary titlist David Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs), who moved up in weight in August.
Buatsi-Hutchinson was part of a six-fight DAZN/PPV.com pay-per-view event. Daniel Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs) defends his IBF heavyweight title against Anthony Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) on top of the show.
