Joshua Buatsi and Willy Hutchinson have reportedly agreed terms to fight for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) light-heavyweight title later this year, resulting in the cancellation of the purse bid proceedings that were set to occur today. A venue and date for the Buatsi-Hutchinson fight will be announced in the near future.
The news came by way of an official press release by the WBO through social media.
“Be advised: Queensberry Promotions & Boxxer reached an agreement for Buatsi/Hutchinson and therefore, purse bid ceremony scheduled for today is canceled,” The WBO stated in a public Twitter/X post, “More details coming soon.“
Earlier this month, Joshua Buatsi (18-0, 13 KO’s)―who is signed to Boxxer―and Queensberry Promotions fighter Anthony Yarde (25-3, 24 KO’s) had been mandated by the WBO to face each other for the [vacant] interim light-heavyweight (175 lbs) title. This potential fight collapsed, however, after it came to light that Yarde―who was in the midst of a contractual dispute with Queensberry―failed to respond to the WBO’s 72-hour notice to indicate whether he was willing to face Buatsi.
Willy Hutchinson (18-1, 13 KO’s) was thereafter positioned by Queensberry to replace Yarde in the WBO’s mandate for the interim title; a request that the WBO immediately acquiesced to after surmising Hutchinson would make a suitable challenger.
The interim title itself had been made available after the injury of unified Canadian-Russian champion Artur Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KO’s) during the preparation for his June 1st undisputed 175 lbs bout against Russian WBA champion Dmitry Bivol (23-0, 12 KO’s).
The agreed deal between Queensberry and Boxxer will now see arguably the two best British light-heavyweights go head-to-head for the interim title; leaving open a path for the winner to be promoted to world champion if its current holder, Beterbiev, suffers another injury that will put him on the sidelines.
Further details surrounding the fight will arrive imminently, but sportswriter Dan Rafael has indicated the fight could take place on the rumored September 21st cross-promotional card set to be headlined by Anthony Joshua (28-3, 25 KO’s) and Daniel Dubois (21-2, 20 KO’s).
