- Willy Hutchinson beat Joshua Buatsi by unanimous decision (117-112, 115-113, 115-113) at the AO Arena, Manchester on Saturday 7 November to win the vacant WBC light heavyweight title
- It avenges Hutchinson's split decision loss to Buatsi in 2024, a fight in which he was knocked down twice
- My view: I backed Buatsi and I was wrong. Hutchinson boxed the better fight and he is a worthy champion
Hutchinson Beats Buatsi: The Verdict
Right then, let's not beat around the bush. I picked Joshua Buatsi to win this one, and Willy Hutchinson proved me wrong. Hutchinson beat Buatsi by unanimous decision in Manchester on Saturday night, with the judges scoring it 117-112, 115-113 and 115-113, and he is now the WBC light heavyweight champion.
It is sweet revenge. Buatsi took a split decision in their first fight in 2024 and dropped Hutchinson twice along the way. This time there were no knockdowns, just a boxing lesson from the man who was supposed to be the underdog in my eyes. I backed Buatsi, but not by much, and the margin I gave him was too generous.
How Hutchinson Won It
The Early Rounds Told The Story
Hutchinson was quick, slippery and sharp from the opening bell. He fired fast combinations, made Buatsi miss and then made him pay, and that set the tone for the early rounds. That is the difference from 2024. He did not stand and take punishment, he moved his feet and counter-punched.
Buatsi Pressed But Could Not Land The Big One
To his credit, Buatsi found another gear in the middle and later rounds. He closed the distance and went to the head and body, but he struggled to land anything that really hurt Hutchinson. A championship fight rewards the man who lands cleanly and Hutchinson did that more often. In the last round he stayed on the back foot, protected his lead and saw it out. Smart, composed, class.
Where This Leaves Buatsi
This is only the second defeat of Buatsi's career, after his loss to Callum Smith in 2025. It stings, because the title was vacant and this was the chance to become a world champion. Make no mistake, he is still a proper operator at 175lbs and he will be back in the mix. But the aura has slipped, and he has now lost to a man he beat two years ago.
What Next For Hutchinson
The belt only became available because David Benavidez vacated it to concentrate on cruiserweight. That means Hutchinson walks in as a champion with no baggage and a division full of hungry challengers. My prediction is that he holds on to the title in his first defence, because his movement and hand speed will trouble most of the contenders at light heavyweight. The danger is the pressure fighter who can cut off the ring, and we saw Buatsi get closer to that in the later rounds. Keep an eye on whether the WBC goes for a rematch or a mandatory challenger.
Congratulations to Hutchinson, and credit where it is due. If you know, you know: he was written off by plenty of people, and he boxed his way to a world title.