Willy Hutchinson dismissed the threat presented by Joshua Buatsi ahead of their rematch scheduled forl the AO Arena in Manchester on November 7th. The original encounter back in 2024 at Wembley Stadium went the way of Buatsi, who felled his opponent twice on his way to a decision victory. Hutchinson hints that all was not right for him under the Wembley arch and that he will be a different and far more menacing animal this time around with the WBC interim light heavyweight title belt on the line. Hutchinson gets the opportunity to exorcise the demons of a damaging defeat, plus further his career prospects with a world title belt at the same time.

 

“It is a big fight and I have been looking for this rematch for two years, so it is big for me,” considered the 28-year-old. “I am looking forward to it and looking forward to getting the job done. It is like buy one, get one free! I am very happy how it has all worked out and I need to put that wrong right.”

 

Hutchinson is pretty damning in his assessment of the 2016 Olympian, suggesting that his fighting fortunes have entered into a downward spiral and is a declining force. The intervening years, according to Hutchinson, have not been kind to Buatsi, who has lost to Callum Smith and beaten Zach Parker in this time. “No, not better at all. He is just the same person I thought he was back then, so it was just one of those things. We could get into it, but we won’t. All I am interested in is the second fight. I haven’t got to do much differently, to be honest, just be right on the night and that’s it. If I am right I will smash him to pieces. One hundred per cent he is not on my level at all and I am going to show the world how good I am.”

 

Hutchinson is always happy to talk the talk, but he claims ramping up the rhetoric does not place any additional burden on himself. “Not really because I should be able to deliver. It is not a maybe or if, it is something that should be done. So it is not really pressure. I am know how good I am so really and truly it should be a steady night’s work. He is worse than when he fought me. I am basing this on his last two fights and he is shot to bits, ever since the fight with me. He is not on my level and I am going to show it.”