Buatsi Booed as Hutchinson Rematch Heats Up
Joshua Buatsi walked into a wall of noise in Manchester – and smiled.
Booed heavily by Willy Hutchinson’s supporters at the ceremonial weigh-in on Friday, the Londoner cupped his ears, inviting more abuse from the Scottish contingent ahead of their WBC light-heavyweight title fight at the AO Arena on Saturday night.
This is a rematch that never really cooled down. Just over two years have passed since Buatsi edged a thrilling first meeting by split decision, and the bad blood has simply been ageing in the barrel.
“He’s talking like we haven’t done it before but we have. I’m excited about the crowd – I’ll see you all there,” Buatsi said on stage, leaning into the hostility rather than shying away from it.
Title stakes raised as Benavidez steps aside
The fight was originally set for the WBC interim belt. Then came a twist at the top of the division.
American David Benavidez vacated the full WBC light-heavyweight title to move up to cruiserweight, instantly upgrading Buatsi–Hutchinson II into a contest for the full world crown. The rematch was already important; now it defines both men’s careers.
At 33, Buatsi arrives at what feels like a crossroads. The 2016 Olympic bronze medallist has long been tipped for world honours and enters the biggest night of his professional journey with a record of 20 wins and one defeat. This is his chance to finally convert promise into a major belt.
Hutchinson, 28, carries his own pedigree. The first Scottish boxer to win gold at an amateur World Championships, he stands at 20 wins and two defeats in the paid ranks and brings with him a fiercely loyal support that made itself heard at Manchester’s Freight Island.
Crowd behind Hutchinson, scales test Buatsi
Hutchinson was first onto the stage for the ceremonial weigh-in, greeted by huge cheers from a noisy travelling support that treated the event like a home fixture. Flags, songs, jeers – the atmosphere belonged to him.
Buatsi stepped up into enemy territory. The boos rained down, and he played the villain, cupping his ears, soaking it all in, a fighter trying to show he thrives on the needle.
The real tension, though, had come earlier in the day at the official weigh-in.
Buatsi initially came in an ounce – 28 grammes – over the light-heavyweight limit. A tiny margin, but on a world-title stage, it matters. He stripped off and returned to the scales, making the championship limit of 12st 7lb (79kg) at the second attempt.
Hutchinson made weight without drama, then seized on Buatsi’s brief stumble. When they faced off later in the evening, the Scot fired a derogatory remark about Buatsi being overweight, adding another layer of spite to a rivalry that already had enough.
Old scores, new stakes
The first fight gave Hutchinson a sense of unfinished business; a split decision loss that many in his camp still chew over. For Buatsi, it was a hard-earned win that raised questions as much as it raised his profile.
Now they meet again with more on the line. The same opponents, the same arena city, but a very different prize.
One man leaves Manchester as WBC light-heavyweight champion. The other walks away with a record that suddenly looks heavier than the scales ever did.
