Willy Hutchinson defeats Joshua Buatsi to win WBC light heavyweight title

Willy Hutchinson defeats Joshua Buatsi to winning WBC light heavyweight title

Willy Hutchinson secured the performance of his career to defeat Joshua Buatsi by unanimous decision, capturing the vacant WBC light heavyweight title on Saturday, 7 November 2026. Staged at the AO Arena in Manchester and broadcast globally via platforms including Dazn, the rematch saw the Scottish challenger decisively avenge a previous split-decision defeat suffered against the Londoner in September 2024. The championship belt had become vacant after David Benavidez relinquished the title to move up to the cruiserweight division, elevating the bout from an interim contest to full world championship status.

The judges scored the championship encounter 117-112, 115-113, and 115-113 in favour of the challenger, according to live reports from Fightmag and Sky Sports. From the opening bell, Hutchinson utilised his swift hand speed, movement, and sharp jab to frustrate Buatsi, who struggled to close the distance effectively. Unlike their initial meeting where Buatsi dropped his opponent twice in the sixth and ninth rounds, neither fighter hit the canvas during this encounter. Buatsi increased his pressure and body punching during the second half of the bout, but Hutchinson maintained his defensive composure, slipped punches, and deployed effective counter-combinations.

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The triumph holds profound personal significance for Hutchinson, who revealed after the bout that he had recorded his aspirations in a book as a 13-year-old child while his father worked abroad, as noted by the BBC. Speaking ringside, an emotional Hutchinson credited his coaching team for pulling him out of difficult circumstances. Conversely, Buatsi struggled to find answers against his fleet-footed rival, prompting discussion among analysts regarding the trajectory of his career following earlier contested outcomes.

The supporting fight card featured several notable domestic clashes. Manchester's Jack Rafferty defeated Hovhannes Martirosyan by unanimous decision to claim the vacant IBO welterweight title following a closely contested 12-round battle. Bradley Rea retained his WBA Intercontinental light heavyweight title via a second-round TKO against Ezra Taylor, dropping his opponent twice before the stoppage. Gully Powar captured the vacant British featherweight title by technical unanimous decision after his bout with Zak Miller was halted in the 10th round due to accidental head clashes causing severe forehead swelling. Additional victories on the undercard were secured by Stephen Clarke, John Joe Carrigan, Tony Yoka, Javokhir Ummataliev, Alex Arthur Jr., and Tumi Phillips.

Ticket sales for the main event proved modest, with upper tiers closed off and fans departing after local favourite Rafferty completed his bout, leaving the arena with a raucous yet intimate atmosphere. Attention now turns to the future of the light heavyweight division. Immediately following his victory, Hutchinson was confronted in the ring by former world title challenger Anthony Yarde, who expressed interest in a domestic clash. Alternatively, the newly crowned WBC champion could potentially face the winner of the upcoming bout between Dmitry Bivol and Callum Smith on 12 December, or mandatory contenders such as Ben Whittaker.