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Nick Parkinson
Joshua Buatsi is hoping a victory over Willy Hutchinson can set up the biggest fight of his career: either against the winner of the undisputed title clash between Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev, or long-time English rival Anthony Yarde.
Buatsi (18-0, 13 KOs), 31, faces Hutchinson (18-1, 13 KOs), 26, for the WBO interim light heavyweight title at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, part of the undercard for the main event between IBF world heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua.
Should Buatsi extend his unbeaten record against Hutchinson, he will put himself in a good position to challenge the winner of the undisputed world light heavyweight title fight between champions Bivol (WBA) and Artur Beterbiev (WBC, IBF, WBO), both from Russia, in Saudi Arabia on Oct. 12.
Initially, the plan was for Buatsi to finally face Yarde (25-3, 24 KOs), 33, who Beterbiev stopped in a title defence last year. Plans to match them for this weekend amounted to nothing, but Buatsi has even called Yarde to discuss their futures.
“I spoke to Anthony on the phone a few months ago when the fight came up [with Hutchinson] and while he sorts out his legal cases, I will fight Hutchinson but the fight is still there and after this if we are both available it can happen,” Buatsi told ESPN.
“The path ahead [for me] is the winner of Bivol and Beterbiev. The Yarde fight is still something I’m interested in. This fight between Bivol and Beterbiev is for all the belts, and fights don’t happen immediately, so if the interest is there for Yarde, may be we can get it done first. I can’t call what is going to happen in Bivol vs. Beterbiev, they have both looked good.”
In what is his biggest fight since losing the 2016 Olympic final, Buatsi has been preparing in San Fransisco with trainer Virgil Hunter, where an occasional visitor to the gym is Andre Ward, who retired in 2017 with an unblemished record after unifying world titles at super middleweight and light heavyweight.
“I’m out there two or three months at a time with a great trainer [Virgil Hunter], I’m also working with Victor Conte and some coaches at Berkeley University,” Buatsi said.
“They are pushing me every day. Andre Ward pops down to the gym and the other day he gave me some advice, dropping some gems. When someone has achieved what he has in the sport, it’s so valuable to have advice from him.”
Buatsi’s career has suffered from inactivity recently, after switching promoters from Matchroom to BOXXER, while Hutchinson has built up momentum which culminated in a unanimous decision victory over Craig Richards in Saudi Arabia in June.
Buatsi, who dominated Dan Azeez in a points win in February, had to be pulled apart from Hutchinson during a television interview recently, an indication of how important Saturday’s fight is to determining the future career paths for Hutchinson and Buatsi.
“Hutchinson did what well vs. Craig Richards, but I don’t think he has boxed anyone like me,” Buatsi said.
“There was a feeling of him taking the p— and I thought I’m going to have to address this so I grabbed him by the neck. Some people were shocked because they have not seen me like that, but I haven’t lost any sleep over it.”
As well as focusing on Hutchinson, Buatsi has priorities other than securing a first world title shot or facing Yarde. Buatsi, who has lived in south London since moving from Ghana as a child, runs a foundation in his name, supporting an orphanage and boxing gyms in Accra.
“The most important thing I have learned so far is that you win and are successful but ultimately it is also the effect you have on people which is important for me,” Buatsi said.
“You are not just successful because you have 10 cars and 10 houses. But it’s because of the people you have helped, not everything is about you but the impact you had had on others.
“I was very frustrated because a lot of times I wasn’t fighting very much. But I stayed in the gym always and helping other people, other boxers, gave me motivation, whether it’s in boxing or in a different part of the world. It filled that time. I supported other boxers and outside of boxing I support a foundation for kids in an orphanage [Joshua Buatsi Foundation] in Tema.
“My mum got me into it, to provide clothes, food, money and resources. When I go and see them in Ghana, we are taking loads of oil for them to cook with, fish, meat, clothes. Also there’s areas of Ghana where boxing is the No. 1 sport and I try to make it that I’m not just someone they see online, or on TV, so I speak to them and visits gyms around Accra.”