Joshua Buatsi Scores Two Knockdowns, Outpoints Willy Hutchinson For Interim WBO Title

Joshua Buatsi sent Willy Hutchinson to the canvas twice but still head to sweat out a split decision.

The unbeaten light heavyweight earned an interim version of the WBO light heavyweight title after he prevailed on two scorecards. Judge Grzegorz Molenda (113-112 Hutchinson) sadly missed a fun fight. The ship was righted by Howard Foster (115-110) and Salvador Salva (117-108), who awarded Buatsi the win Saturday at Wembley Stadium in London.

Hutchinson refused to fade away even as Buatsi dialed up the pressure throughout the night. The valiant Scotsman applied early pressure to the more polished Buatsi, a Bronze medalist for Great Britain in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Buatsi returned the favor in the second. The Ring’s No. 4-rated light heavyweight found a regular home for his right hand. Both fighters drew the ire of referee Steve Gray for separate infractions. Buatsi was warned for leading with his head while Hutchinson was lectured after he landed an elbow.

A clash of heads left Hutchinson with a cut just outside his right eye. He overcame the wound to rally late in the fifth, a frame otherwise controlled by Buatsi.

The tide turned in a big way in the sixth.

Buatsi scored the first of two knockdowns on the night. A right hand sent Hutchinson reeling before he was forced to the deck. Hutchinson beat the count but there existed legitimate concern than the fight would end soon thereafter.

Naturally, Hutchinson came out guns blazing in round seven. Buatsi was caught off guard but also caught a break when Hutchinson foolishly barreled forward headfirst. It stalled his own rally and drew a hard warning from the referee. Buatsi came out on the on the side of the break with a right hand over the top to stun Hutchinson.

Time was called late in the eighth when the lights briefly dimmed. The matter was quickly resolved and action resumed.

Buatsi sent Hutchinson to the canvas for a second time late in the ninth. A wicked shot to Hutchinson’s midsection forced The Ring’s No. 9-rated light heavyweight to the canvas. Not only did he once again beat the count, but he took the fight to Buatsi in the tenth. The snap was no longer on his punches, however, as Buatsi dominated largely behind his jab.

Hutchinson attempted a last-gasp rally in the twelfth and final round. Neither fighter seemed to have the energy to close the show as the frame was marred by clinches. The loss snapped a five-fight win streak for Hutchinson (18-2, 13 knockouts).

Buatsi (19-0, 13 knockouts) is now a mandatory challenger in waiting.

The belt earned on Saturday puts him in queue for an eventual shot at the full WBO title. He will have to wait behind two other interim titlists.

David Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) is guaranteed to next land the winner of the Oct. 12 Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol RING championship in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The former super middleweight titlist claimed a secondary WBC belt at 175 in a June 15 points win over Oleksandr Gvozdyk.

Behind him is two-division secondary titlist David Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs), who moved up in weight in August.

Buatsi-Hutchinson was part of a six-fight DAZN/PPV.com pay-per-view event. Daniel Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs) defends his IBF heavyweight title versus Anthony Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) atop the show.

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