Joshua Buatsi and Willy Hutchinson meet for the second time on Saturday night and this time the vacant WBC light heavyweight world title is up for grabs.
Buatsi won the first meeting via a split decision after a bruising encounter but has since lost his unbeaten record, while Hutchinson has picked up back-to-back wins in the years since.
Joshua Buatsi v Willy Hutchinson Tips Preview
Buatsi and Hutchinson first met in 2024 on the undercard of Daniel Dubois’ win over Anthony Joshua but this time they are the main event.
Saturday’s contest is a chance for both fighters to become a world champion for the first time and we could be in line for a thrilling contest based on their first meeting.
Buatsi scored two knockdowns and Hutchinson was deducted a point in their first clash but one judge still scored the fight in Hutchinson’s favour and that demonstrates how competitive the bout was, although a split decision defeat still perhaps flattered the Scot.
Buatsi enjoyed a stellar amateur career and competed at the Olympics in 2016, landing the bronze medal.
The Ghana-born Briton always appeared destined to land a world title but so far he has been unable to claim one of boxing’s biggest prizes, although his first win over Hutchinson did see him land the interim WBO strap.
Since the first fight, Buatsi lost his unbeaten record and that interim WBO title in a unanimous decision defeat to Callum Smith, losing by a wide margin.
Just Business laboured to a majority decision win over Zach Parker in November in a 10-round affair in his last bout ahead of this rematch.
Hutchinson had an 18-1 record ahead of the first fight and competed well for large stages against Buatsi, but can have no real complaints about the loss having been dropped twice.
However, the Hutch Train has responded well since with a stoppage win over Mark Jeffers and he heads into Saturday’s contest on the back of arguably a career-best win as he claimed a one-sided decision victory over the previously unbeaten Ezra Taylor, who features on the undercard on Saturday.
Joshua Buatsi v Willy Hutchinson - Tale of the Tape
Joshua Buatsi | Willy Hutchinson | |
Record: | 20-1 | 20-2 |
Age: | 33 | 28 |
Birthplace: | Accra, Ghana | Carstairs, Scotland |
Height: | 6' 2" | 6' 1" |
Stance: | Orthodox | Orthodox |
Last Fight: | Won (MD) Zach Parker (Nov 2025) | Won (UD) Ezra Taylor (May 2026) |
KO%: | 65.00 | 70.00 |
Alias: | Just Business | The Hutch Train |
Joshua Buatsi v Willy Hutchinson Top Tips
On the surface it perhaps seems strange that Hutchinson is the marginal favourite after defeat in the first fight but taking into account the performances of both boxers since their first meeting it shouldn’t be a surprise.
Buatsi followed up his win over Hutchinson with a defeat to Callum Smith and was largely outclassed for the entirety of that contest.
The 33-year-old then faced Zach Parker in what should have been a ‘keep busy’ contest but he again failed to impress and only scraped a win over the line via a majority decision, with two judges scoring it 96-94 in his favour and one a draw.
In contrast, Hutchinson has kicked on and looks to have improved both physically and mentally, while his win over the dangerous Ezra Taylor in his last bout was perhaps the ideal preparation for this rematch.
The Scot is five years younger than Buatsi and looks to be entering his prime and his composed performance against the heavy-handed Taylor indicates he has learned his lessons after defeat to Buatsi.
Hutchinson looks a strong bet to win and for an odds-against price backing the 28-year-old to win on points looks the best option.
The Carstairs native does carry significant power and five of his last seven wins have come inside the distance, but Buatsi is a level above anyone Hutchinson has previously stopped and is an incredibly durable fighter.
Buatsi has never been stopped or even knocked down in a 21-fight career and he stayed on his feet despite taking sustained punishment in his defeat to Smith.
Hutchinson is a technically skilled boxer who uses a variety of shots and he will probably have to outwork and outthink Buatsi, rather than outgun him, to get the job done.
All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
