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Hutchinson’s mission to fulfil childhood prophecy
Willy Hutchinson is aiming to fulfil a boxing ambition he wrote down at 13 when he fights Joshua Buatsi for the vacant WBC light-heavyweight title on Saturday. Their rematch in Manchester follows Buatsi’s split-decision victory in a close first fight, and the title bout gives Hutchinson the chance to claim the main belt he once set out to win.
Hutchinson, now 28, says his notebook listed goals including Scottish, British, European and world amateur titles, as well as becoming WBC world champion. He has since won the WBC silver and international titles; the fight was upgraded from an interim-title bout after David Benavidez vacated the belt. Buatsi, 33, is 20-1 as a professional and won Olympic bronze in 2016; he says boxing stardom was not a childhood dream, but has become a goal.
In short
- Hutchinson fights Buatsi for the vacant WBC light-heavyweight title.
- He wrote down the ambition to become WBC champion at 13.
- Buatsi won their first meeting by split decision.
Explained simply
Boxing titles are awarded by different organisations, including the World Boxing Council (WBC), which has several levels of belt. The WBC silver and international titles Hutchinson has won are not the same as its main world championship.
Hutchinson is a Scottish professional boxer who previously competed as an amateur, while Buatsi represented Britain at the 2016 Olympics and won bronze. Their first professional fight was close, with Buatsi winning on a split decision, meaning the judges disagreed.
The vacant title became available after David Benavidez gave it up. Winning it would make either boxer the WBC light-heavyweight world champion, a division for fighters within a set weight range.