Hutchinson Triumphs Over Buatsi to Claim WBC Light Heavyweight Title

In a closely contested bout, Willy Hutchinson emerged victorious over Joshua Buatsi to claim the WBC light-heavyweight title, marking a significant moment in British boxing history. The judges' scores of 117-112, 115-113, and 115-113 all favored Hutchinson, solidifying his position as the new champion ¹².

The match took place on a Saturday at the AO Arena in Manchester, UK, where Hutchinson showcased his skills against the 33-year-old Buatsi, who hails from Croydon, London. Buatsi, known for his 22 professional fights with just two losses, faced his second defeat at the hands of Hutchinson, following their previous encounter in 2024 ¹².

Hutchinson, aged 28 and hailing from Scotland, improved his record to 21 wins with 2 losses. His triumph was particularly poignant as it fulfilled a childhood dream of becoming a WBC champion, which he achieved at the age of 28 ¹. With this victory, Hutchinson not only claimed the WBC light-heavyweight title but also became the eighth British light-heavyweight champion, the first since Nathan Cleverly in 2017 ¹².

This success also marked Scotland's first male world boxing champion since Josh Taylor, highlighting the growing prominence of Scottish boxers on the international stage ². The path to the title was cleared when Benavidez relinquished the WBC light heavyweight title to focus on cruiserweight, setting the stage for Hutchinson's rise to the top ².

Despite the excitement surrounding the event, ticket sales were reported to be modest, with the upper tier of the AO Arena remaining closed due to lower than expected attendance ¹. Looking ahead, Anthony Yarde, who lost to Benavidez for the WBC belt a year prior, is considered a potential future opponent for Hutchinson, adding another layer of anticipation to the light-heavyweight division ².

What we know

• Willy Hutchinson defeated Joshua Buatsi to win the WBC light-heavyweight title ¹²
• The judges scored the fight 117-112, 115-113, 115-113 in favor of Hutchinson ¹²
• The match took place on a Saturday at the AO Arena in Manchester, UK ¹²
• Buatsi was 33 years old and from Croydon, London, with 22 professional fights and 2 losses ¹²
• Buatsi lost for the second time in his career, previously having been defeated by Hutchinson in 2024 ¹²
• Hutchinson was 28 years old and from Scotland, improving his record to 21 wins with 2 losses ¹
• Hutchinson expressed his childhood dream of becoming a WBC champion which he achieved at age 28 ¹
• Hutchinson became the eighth British light-heavyweight champion, the first since Nathan Cleverly in 2017 ¹²
• This victory made Hutchinson Scotland's first male world boxing champion since Josh Taylor ²
• Benavidez relinquished the WBC light heavyweight title to focus on cruiserweight ²
• Ticket sales were modest, with the upper tier closed off due to low attendance ¹
• Anthony Yarde is a possible future opponent for Hutchinson ²