Willy Hutchinson challenges Joshua Buatsi for the vacant WBO Interim World light-heavyweight title
Scotland’s ‘Braveheart’ Willy Hutchinson (18-1, 13KO) will clash with unbeaten Joshua Buatsi (18-0, 13KO) for the vacant WBO Interim World light-heavyweight title on the huge Joshua-Dubois Wembley Stadium event on September 21.
Answering Queensberry Promotions’ Dev Sahni about whether they have sparred before, during a recent interview, Hutchinson confirmed, “We have. But sparring’s sparring. I was 20-year-old, five year ago, I give him the biggest hiding of his life.
“Five years ago, which makes no difference, because he’s come on and grew as a person and I have, you know what I mean? The difference is, he’s 31 or 2 and I’m only 25.”
Hutchinson is six years JB’s junior, but they each share the same number of wins and knockouts at 18 (13KO).
Willy has one single defeat on his record though, which came against in-from Lennox Clarke in 2021 for the British and Commonwealth super-middleweight titles. Immediately after being stopped in five rounds by the heavy-handed Brummie, Hutchinson moved up to light-heavyweight, which has seen him go undefeated at the new weight, winning all five fights, stopping four foes.
His last fight was an acid test against the formidable Craig Richards in Riyadh, last June, contributing to the 5-0 win Queensberry enjoyed over Matchroom. ‘The Hutch Train’ won unanimously with scores of 119-109, 117-111, 116-112.
Buatsi has also triumphed over ‘Spider’ Richards via UD in May 2022, with scores of 115-113 twice, 116-112.
Things you didn’t know about Willy Hutchinson
Willy Hutchinson was born August 4, 1994, in Carstairs, Scotland.
As an amateur, he won a gold medal at the 2014 European Junior Championships in Russia; and collected another gold at the St. Petersburg 2016 Youth World Championships in the middleweight division.
In the amateurs, he defeated David Morrell, who is now WBA Regular World light-heavyweight champion.
He was defeated by Ben Whittaker in the GB Youth Championships in 2015.
He is 6ft 1in (185 cm) tall.
He first turned pro under the tutelage of renowned Cuban trainer, Ismael Salas, and guided by David Haye’s RingStar Promotions, managed by Deontay Wilder’s manager, Shelly Finkel.
Hutchinson made his professional debut on October 20, 2017, scoring a first-round TKO victory against Attila Nagy on a Matchroom Boxing show at the indigo at The O2 in London, live on Sky Sports.
After only three pro bouts, Hutchinson switched trainers from Salas to Dominic Ingle.
In the following May, 2018, it was announced that Hutchinson had also switched promoters, signing with Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions.