Joshua Buatsi has the ability to be South London’s next world champion – but needs a breakout fight to really make his profile soar

BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Joshua Buatsi came through the biggest test of his professional career on Saturday night as he won a unanimous – but close – points verdict over Craig ‘Spider’ Richards. It was a quality clash which deserved a bigger audience.

There were plenty of empty seats at Greenwich’s 02 Arena as the two South Londoners slugged it out.

There was a danger that Croatia clubber Alen Babic could have stolen the show with his riotous 10-round brawl against Adam Balski. But the main event did not disappoint and had plenty more guile and craft on display.

Why wasn’t there more of a ticket take up for the Buatsi-Richards bout? There had been suggestions that punters had potentially spent out to attend Tyson Fury’s homecoming against Dillian Whyte at the end of April and could not afford another outlay.

But it could also be a reflection that Buatsi is yet to really capture the public’s imagination. He is reserved and respectful, but also a very good fighter who has a strong chance of becoming a world champion.

It’s undoubtedly harder for boxers to boost their profile if they are not on mainstream TV. There are exceptions to that, but Bermondsey’s David Haye did not really see a dramatic change until he defeated Nikolai Valuev to win the WBA world heavyweight title. The David v Goliath storyline got even the wider general public, not just the fight game, talking.

This felt more like an industry bout. One that those properly invested in the sport knew had a very good chance of being watchable and evenly-matched.

Buatsi improved his record to 16-0 and went the 12-round distance for the first time in his career. But, more pertinently, the Croydon fighter had to come through adversity in the eighth round after being at least shaken by a big right uppercut.

The Olympic bronze medallist won by scorecards of 115-113 (twice) and 116-112. Buatsi controlled the pace of the bout for long stretches and Richards, from Crystal Palace, was guilty of not exerting enough pressure when his rival looked to dial down the intensity.

Buatsi landed 230 punches – 75 more than Richards and outjabbed him 90-49. He was usually the one taking a forward step and any success for Richards, a major betting underdog, was usually met with an almost instant response.

You couldn’t say that either man was ever in control or dominating for long stretches, but there were a few times that Buatsi connected with shuddering right hands. Richards, renowned for being able to take a shot, never looked in any major distress.

“There were some rounds I thought I landed far more dominant shots,” said Buatsi. “It was a back and forth, a good scrap.

“Massive respect to Spider. Not once did he shy away when it came to us getting our heads down and banging away. Spider was on it.”

Virgil Hunter, Buatsi’s highly-respected and decorated trainer, still feels that his charge needs one more fight before he challenges for a world title.

Last weekend’s headliner was an eliminator for the WBA world title which is held by Dmitry Bivol. The Russian’s stock is at an all-time high after he impressively outpointed Canelo Alvarez earlier this month.

Alvarez has opted to defend his undisputed super-middleweight titles against Gennady Golovkin on September 11 rather than trigger a clause to rematch Bivol.

Buatsi’s promoter Eddie Hearn revealed that Ilford’s Anthony Yarde had turned down big money to be in the opposite corner, which is why Richards got his opportunity.

The animosity between Matchroom Boxing and Queensberry Promotions, who promote Yarde, means that mouth-watering match-up is only likely to happen if a governing body mandates it.

That would involve one fighter winning a major title and the other being the mandated challenger to open it up to purse bids – exactly what we saw when Brixton’s Whyte challenged Fury.

“You want him to be complete when he goes for that [world] title, not just because he is in a position to fight for one,” said Hunter, who trains Buatsi in California. “He’s not far away. I can’t honestly say that right now [he is ready for Bivol or Alvarez] because being at the world title level, there are just some things that I need to see. But he will always be in the fight, trust me.

“I’m not saying he would lose to Canelo or Bivol. I think he’d give Canelo fits – his physicality would give him fits and he’d wear Canelo down.”

But Buatsi, 29, seems less patient.

“We want a strap,” was his short and simple response when asked what comes next.

Richards (17-3-1) was sportsmanlike in defeat.

“I had a good dance partner and we put on a hell of a fight, we had to put our friendship aside,” he said.

“We both brought it and traded leather.

“I tried to bide my time and wait for an opportunity to come again [after hurting Buatsi in the eighth round] but maybe that was a schoolboy error. I should’ve jumped back on him again and finished the job.”

PICTURES: MARK ROBINSON/MATCHROOM BOXING