Joshua Buatsi vs. Willy Hutchinson II | DAZN - 7 November 2026

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CONFIRMED: Joshua Buatsi and Willy Hutchinson will rematch for the WBC interim light heavyweight title on Nov. 7 at the AO Arena in Manchester live on DAZN.

[Taansend]

I can see Willy nicking this one.

[Cent0089]

Does Bivol still has all 4 belts ?

[golden_labrador]

if Buatsi really wants it he'll win

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Buatsi vs Hutchinson 2

Buatsi (20-1, 13 KO) and Hutchinson (20-2, 14 KO) didn’t get the headlines of Dubois and Wardley for their September 2024 fight, but it was a competitive bout that Buatsi won by split decision. It wasn’t the most controversial fight in the world, but plenty felt Hutchinson deserved it despite being dropped twice and docked a point in the seventh round.

The bout will be for the interim WBC 175 lb title this time. Buatsi didn’t sound all that enthused about running it back with Hutchinson, and pretty much admitted that without just blatantly saying it.

“This is what was put in front of me. He said we were gonna run it back two years ago, so here we are, man,” Buatsi said. “Something’s at stake. If nothing was at stake, I wouldn’t be here.”

“I’m very, very excited. This has took two years to get here, and now we’re here again,” Hutchinson said. “I told him two years ago after the fight, ‘I’m gonna get ya,’ and now we’re here. I’m gonna win. Simple.”

[Boxerbeetle]

I keep reading the thread title as if it’s referring to
Willy Hutchinson the Second. Like he’s in the royal family or something

[gilgamesh]

Does Bivol still has all 4 belts ?

It's been more than a week since he won them so I'm sure No.

[Taansend]

I keep reading the thread title as if it’s referring to
Willy Hutchinson the Second. Like he’s in the royal family or something

There IS an opening for a Royal Willy now Andrew has been banished.

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Launch press conference

[THEBUTCH]

What is Buatsi doing with his career ?!

I'd argue Joshua is a better boxer than Yarde with better wins on his record, yet Yarde has had 3 undeserved & failed attempts at a world title and Buatsi...zero !

Lyndon Arthur & Craig Richards have both had a stab at Bivol's titles, but sweet F A for Joshua

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[stujones]

What is Buatsi doing with his career ?!

I'd argue Joshua is a better boxer than Yarde with better wins on his record, yet Yarde has had 3 undeserved & failed attempts at a world title and Buatsi...zero !

Lyndon Arthur & Craig Richards have both had a stab at Bivol's titles, but sweet F A for Joshua

Yes and when you add his Olympic pedigree it is certainly a bizarre career. He was being hyped as the next David Haye after his Olympic run - to think he's not even had a shot is bizarre and most fighters with Olympic pedigree usually get their shot within 4 years - he's now been 11, still apparently knocking on the door, but not got his shot.

Its been the most weird of careers. He still fights like he is a young 19 year old learning his trade.

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HUTCHINSON RELISHES CHANCE TO EVEN SCORE WITH BUATSI

Willy Hutchinson has campaigned long and loud for the chance to even the score with Joshua Buatsi, and he finally has his chance.

In September 2024, Hutchinson (20-2, 14 KOs) was dropped twice before losing a split decision to Buatsi (20-1, 13 KOs) in a WBO interim light heavyweight title fight.

On November 7, the British rivals meet in a high-stakes rematch. The WBC interim 175-pound title will be on the line when the pair meet at Manchester’s AO Arena.

Hutchinson is ranked No. 7 by The Ring, while Buatsi is positioned at No. 5.

The 28-year-old Scotsman confesses he's never wanted a fight as much as this one.

“No. I wanted this fight. I wanted it for two years,” Hutchinson told The Ring.

“I didn't think he would ever take it again but he's been bullied into taking this fight because where else does he go? If the interim title wasn't on the line he would never fight me but who was he going to fight? There's no one there.

“He's not a superstar, is he? He's just ... done alright.”

Hutchinson has been beaten twice during his professional career. The first was a shocking fifth-round loss to Lennox Clarke in a British super-middleweight title fight in March 2021, and could be put down to the difficulty in making 168 pounds. The loss to Buatsi, however, was simply a case of meeting a man who was better than him on the night.

Hutchinson admits that frustration at not doing himself justice still lingers but insists the defeat hasn’t eaten away at him.

“It's not really. It's never eaten me up at all,” he said.

“It's knowing what I can do and knowing what I should have done to him. It's never that it’s ate me up because he beat me, no. It's what I know I can do and what I can do against him. He's a steady night's work and that is the truth. I said it two years ago, but here we are, second time running up.”

If Hutchinson is prone to instinctive outbursts, Buatsi is a cerebral character who rarely, if ever, gets drawn into saying something he doesn’t want to.

Buatsi has been open in admitting that he had no interest in a potential rematch until the interim WBC belt was added to the mix. The full champion is none other than The Ring's pound-for-pound No. 5 star David Benavidez.

Just minutes before sitting down with The Ring, Hutchinson had spent some time shooting a face-to-face interview with Buatsi.

He has plenty of questions about the 33-year-old Londoner’s level of motivation and ambition but experience has taught him he is unlikely to get any kind of reaction before the first bell rings.

“He’s not even hard to read, I just wouldn't really care how he thinks to be honest. I'm going to be completely honest, I don't know what he's thinking or what he's doing,” Hutchinson said.

“He's 33. He looked terrible in his last couple of fights. Does he feel like he's got much to prove? He's been paid well. Does he really want it anymore? I'm not too sure.”

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BUATSI ALL BUSINESS AHEAD OF HUTCHINSON REMATCH

The light heavyweight rivals will meet at Manchester’s AO Arena on November 7. Buatsi is ranked at No. 5 by The Ring at 175 pounds while Hutchinson sits at No. 7.

The two first met on the undercard of the IBF heavyweight title fight between Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua in September 2024. Buatsi (20-1, 13 KOs) dropped the belligerent Hutchinson (20-2, 14 KOs) twice and generally outboxed him before being awarded a far-too-close split decision.

That win earned the 33-year-old Londoner the WBO interim light heavyweight title. This time, the WBC’s interim belt will be on the line.

Some fighters might feel slighted at having to go over old ground against a fighter they've already beaten relatively comfortably. Others may take the fight for granted, assume things will be even easier the second time around and overlook the task at hand.

Buatsi isn’t that type of character. For him, a second fight with Hutchinson is a means to an end.

“The mindset is that it's an important fight. It’s a fight that's happened before but here we are with a rematch with something on the line. Something very important on the line,” he said.

“Once that was communicated to me, my team and I said, 'Yep, we're in.' So, here we are.”

The two couldn’t be more different.

The energetic, unpredictable Hutchinson has been banging the drum for a rematch from the moment the first fight ended.

A favorite of YouTube boxing channels, Hutchinson has mentioned Buatsi’s name in almost every interview since Buatsi had his hand raised under the arch at Wembley Stadium.

Calm, composed Buatsi has never risen to any of the bait Hutchinson has laid out for him and insists that the idea of shutting the 28-year-old up once and for all didn’t factor into his decision to accept the fight at all.

“There wasn't a lot of things that made me want to take it,” Buatsi said honestly.

“It was for what was at stake. The venue, the ring, whatever it is, I couldn’t care less. But it's what is at stake. So, that's the exact and only reason why I've taken it.”

Although the fight is still two months away, Buatsi has already entered fight mode.

Despite finally snaring the fight he has long wanted, Hutchinson seemed to realize that and resisted the urge to poke or insult Buatsi as the two completed a day of media duties.

It would be a major surprise if Hutchinson were able to remain on such an even keel all the way up to the first bell but Buatsi knows exactly what to expect and won’t alter his own approach whatsoever.

“Leading up to the last fight, I didn't say many things and it's going to be the same again,” he said.

“You wouldn't get any different from me. I'll go away. I'll prepare. I'll come back to win and I'll see everyone on November 7. It's very simple.”

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BUATSI-HUTCHINSON WINNER WILL BE IN PRIME POSITION TO FACE BENAVIDEZ

Joshua Buatsi can further stake a claim as a top light heavyweight if he gets past familiar foe Willy Hutchinson in a rematch on November 7 at Manchester Arena on DAZN.

For months, it appeared that Buatsi was going to face Callum Smith in a sequel following their February 2025 barnburner that resulted in a decision win for the latter. But Smith finally got his WBO mandatory shot against Ring, IBF, WBA and WBO champion Dmitry Bivol last week, which ended the monthslong unknown next move for Buatsi.

But there is a silver lining for Buatsi — the fight against Hutchinson comes with the WBC interim title on the line. The winner would emerge in prime position to face WBC light heavyweight champion David Benavidez, who also holds the WBA and WBO titles in the cruiserweight division.

Buatsi is rated No. 5 by The Ring at 175 pounds; Hutchinson is seventh.

"Hutchinson is a young fighter. He said we were gonna run it back two years ago, so here we are," Buatsi said. "Something's at stake. If nothing was at stake, I wouldn't be here … This is what was put in front of me."

Buatsi (20-1, 13 KOs), who trains with Virgil Hunter in Northern California, returned to the win column last time out in November against Zach Parker.

Buatsi came into the clash against Smith having handed Hutchinson the first loss of his career by split decision in September 2024.

"In the changing rooms, I said, 'I'm gonna get ya,' and it took me two years, and now we're here," Hutchinson said. "I'm gonna win. I'm gonna win this time around – simple."

Hutchinson holds victories against Mark Jeffers as well as Ezra Taylor last time out in March since losing to Buatsi.

"We'll be prepared again," Buatsi said. "I don't have much to say. But when it's time to show up, and we're in there, I always say we're looking for 12 rounds or less."

[SeanBrennan]

Hutchinson is really talented he blathers on a lot in the run up talk fight but I enjoy watching his style in the ring.

It’s not really happened for Buatsi has it. I’m sure he’s earned well but I thought he’d win a title. Helluva fight with Smith though.

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Announced: The WBC light heavyweight world title will be at stake for Willy Hutchinson and Joshua Buatsi’s rematch on November 7th, live on DAZN

The belt was previously held by David Benavidez, who has made his intentions clear of staying up at cruiserweight.

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Benavidez vacates belt, Buatsi-Hutchinson II for WBC 175-pound title

David Benavidez will continue his career campaigning as a cruiserweight.

Benavidez has vacated the WBC light heavyweight title, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed on Friday.

Benavidez, who holds the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles, is due to fight Michal Cieslak for the vacant WBC cruiserweight title on December 5 in Phoenix, Arizona, in a yet-to-be-announced fight.

The WBC have since released a statement surrounding the developing situation.

"The World Boxing Council hereby confirms the WBC cruiserweight world championship fight between [interim] champion Michal Cieslak and challenger David Benavidez.

"David Benavidez has notified the WBC that he will continue his career in the cruiserweight division; however, he reserves the right to challenge for the WBC light heavyweight championship.

"Furthermore, the WBC confirms official sanctioning of the bout between Joshua Buatsi and Willy Hutchinson for the vacant WBC light heavyweight championship [for their November 7 rematch in Manchester, England].

"The WBC will review all weight categories during the upcoming 64th annual convention, to be held in Acapulco, Mexico, from November 8 to 13, and will rule on all eliminators, final eliminators, and mandatories."

Prior to vacating the WBC light heavyweight title, "The Mexican Monster" Benavidez (32-0, 26 KOs), ranked No. 5 on The Ring's pound-for-pound list, was boxing's only active male champion who simultaneously carried belts across two weight classes.

The 29-year-old Benavidez, a former 168-pound titleholder, fought just three times in the light heavyweight division during his recent run. Benavidez became the interim WBC 175-pound champion after beating Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June 2024 and retained the interim title against David Morrell in February 2025.

Benavidez was elevated as the WBC's full champion in April 2025 when then undisputed champion Dmitry Bivol vacated the WBC title in the midst of an ordered fight against Benavidez. Benavidez defended the full 175-pound title against Anthony Yarde in November 2025.

Benavidez then went on to make his cruiserweight division debut on May 2 and stopped Gilberto Ramirez inside six rounds.
On Thursday, Benavidez said on "Inside The Ring" that after facing Cieslak, he's open to fights against Bivol, Jai Opetaia, Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury.

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Joshua Buatsi-Willy Hutchinson rematch now for full WBC title vacated by David Benavidez

The WBC has announced that David Benavidez has officially vacated his light-heavyweight championship in order to campaign full-time at cruiserweight, and that the upcoming Joshua Buatsi-Willy Hutchinson rematch has been upgraded to being for their now-vacant world title.

WBC No. 3-ranked Buatsi, 20-1 (13 KOs), of London via Accra, Ghana, and No. 6-ranked Hutchinson, 20-2 (14 KOs), of Carstairs, Scotland, will meet for the second time in the main event of Queensbury Promotions’ “A Point 2 Prove” event on Saturday, November 7, live on DAZN from the UK’s Manchester Arena.

The fight, originally sanctioned for the WBC interim title will now intensify further with full world championship honors now on the line.

The pair first met in September 2024, resulting in a hotly contested (117-108, 112-113, 115-110) 12-round split decision for Buatsi.

Convinced he should have been given the nod despite going down twice in the fight, 28-year-old Hutchinson had been clamoring for a return engagement ever since.

33-year-old Buatsi, a bronze medalist at the 2016 Rio Olympics, rebounded from his first professional loss, a February 2025 unanimous decision to Callum Smith, to score a majority 10-round decision over countryman Zach Parker in November 2025.

Hutchinson has scored two victories since dropping the decision to Buatsi, stopping Mark Jeffers in seven rounds in October 2025 and taking a unanimous decision over Ezra Taylor in March.

[golden_labrador]

Benevidez didn't want any of Bert or Bivol, fooked off to cruiserweight.

Happy for Buatsi winning the belt (soon)

[rio]

Warren has played a blinder. Got his men a world title shot. Dosnt matter who wins for him. Meanwhile Hearn masterminder Smith turning down the Benividez fight and will be out the ring coming up 2 years before his next fight. In fairness I do blame smith as he dosnt seem to like to actually fight.....6 fights in 7 years backs that up. But massive credit to Warren for being able to navigate a situation where both his fighters are fighting for vacant title