Live results: Hutchinson beats Buatsi in rematch to win WBC title

Willy Hutchinson secured a career-defining victory at the AO Arena in Manchester on Saturday, defeating Joshua Buatsi by unanimous decision to capture the vacant WBC light-heavyweight title and decisively avenge his previous defeat from 2024, according to reporting by Fightmag, Sky Sports, and the BBC.

The championship stakes were elevated ahead of the opening bell when American fighter David Benavidez relinquished the WBC gold to move up to cruiserweight, turning the contest into a full world title fight rather than an interim title bout. The victory also carries historical weight, making Hutchinson the eighth British light-heavyweight champion and the first since Nathan Cleverly in 2017.

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According to Sky Sports, Hutchinson took firm control of the bout in the opening exchanges by utilizing sharp hand speed and evasive footwork. In their previous clash, Buatsi had knocked Hutchinson to the canvas twice en route to a split-decision victory in London, but the Londoner struggled to land telling blows against his fleet-footed rival this time around. While Buatsi increased his urgency in the latter half of the contest by closing the distance and targeting the body, Hutchinson remained disciplined on the back foot and successfully sealed the verdict on the judges' scorecards.

The judges scored the fight 117-112, 115-113, and 115-113 in favour of Hutchinson. Fight week had been dominated by predictions concerning the five-year age gap between the combatants, with critics questioning whether Buatsi had passed his peak. Buatsi's tactical approach relied on whipping punches to the body, yet Hutchinson proved equipped with the answers, utilizing rapid triple jabs and switching stances.

Despite modest ticket sales that left the upper tier closed, a vocal Manchester crowd overwhelmingly backed the Scotsman, cheering his entrance while greeting Buatsi with boos. Bez, of the Happy Mondays, watched ringside as Hutchinson's corner instructed him that three rounds remained before he would become world champion.

An emotional Hutchinson reflected on his journey after the bout, recounting how he had written down his ambition to become a world champion in a book at the age of 13 while his father worked in Sweden.

"I want to tell the story one more time. I was 13-years-old. My dad was working in Sweden. I signed it in a book, I said I will become a world champion. Let's go!"

Willy Hutchinson, Boxer, via BBC

"Can I say thank you to my coach because I'll you one thing, without him I don't think I'll be here today let alone boxing. This man dug me out of a hole that I never thought that I would get out of, so this is all a bonus baby."

Willy Hutchinson, Boxer, via BBC

The undercard featured several notable championship results across the division:

Additional undercard results included Stephen Clarke defeating Harley Collison by points (80-72) at middleweight, John Joe Carrigan defeating Cheikh Diop by fourth-round knockout at super welterweight with the stoppage at 1:50, Tony Yoka defeating Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko by points (59-55) at heavyweight, Javokhir Ummataliev defeating Atacayte Santana by points (59-55) at super middleweight, Alex Arthur Jr. Defeating Jose Aguirre by points (60-54) at super middleweight, and Tumi Phillips defeating Angelo Dragone by points (40-37) at super lightweight.

Following the victory, former world title challenger Anthony Yarde entered the ring and exchanged words with Hutchinson, setting up a potential all-British showdown. Hutchinson addressed Yarde, stating: he's no walkover but let's go. Him next.

Other potential future paths include Dmitry Bivol facing Callum Smith for the other three light-heavyweight titles on 12 December, with the winner potentially serving as Hutchinson's next opponent in an undisputed bout in 2027. Another option mentioned is domestic rival Ben Whittaker, who is ranked third with the WBC and holds the silver title.