Joshua Buatsi has accused his opponent Willy Hutchinson of being “disrespectful” as tensions rise ahead of their upcoming fight for the WBO interim light-heavyweight title at Wembley on Saturday night. Buatsi expressed that Hutchinson is “lying” regarding their alleged sparring history.
The matchup is set to take place on the undercard of the highly anticipated Anthony Joshua-Daniel Dubois event, with the winner possibly facing off against the victor of the Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev clash next month.
Buatsi remains undefeated in his professional career, having faced eighteen opponents without a defeat. Meanwhile, Hutchinson appears confident and determined to be the first to hand Buatsi a loss, adding to the already charged atmosphere between the two fighters.
The two boxers have exchanged insults leading up to their scheduled 12-round bout, highlighted by an intense head-to-head confrontation during their fight announcement, where Buatsi grabbed Hutchinson by the neck.
Reflecting on the altercation, Buatsi remarked, “I felt it got a bit disrespectful… It was just a reaction based on the moment.” He downplayed the grabbing incident, suggesting it is not a major concern and asserting that any further speculation is unwarranted.
“This could have escalated significantly worse,” Buatsi noted. “But we go into this fight focused and ready to perform at our best.”
Hutchinson seems to be employing a different strategy in his approach, but Buatsi remains unfazed. “We’ve got 12 rounds to settle our differences… I’m prepared for what lies ahead,” he stated.
Additionally, Hutchinson has claimed previous dominance over Buatsi during sparring, but Buatsi firmly contends, “If someone gives you a serious hiding, you remember that. I have no recollection of being ‘battered’ by him.”
As excitement builds for the Joshua vs. Dubois heavyweight showdown, boxing fans are eagerly anticipating Buatsi and Hutchinson’s showdown that could dramatically shift the landscape of the light-heavyweight division.
