Fight preview · 7 Nov 2026

Joshua Buatsi vs Willy Hutchinson 2 Prediction

Editorial preview. The analysis and verdict below are our writers' opinion, not the data model. Records, ages and fight histories in the article come from public reporting at the time of writing, not from our Boxing Data API feed.

Our verdict: Joshua Buatsi to win on points again, but narrowly. Buatsi's two knockdowns decided the first fight. He's still the heavier puncher and the more experienced 12-round fighter, so he should edge another close, high-tempo contest on the cards. Hutchinson is younger, more active and has improved since 2024, so this is very close to a pick'em fight. We wouldn't be surprised if the scorecards split again.

Fight details

Date: Saturday 7 November 2026
Venue: AO Arena, Manchester
At stake: Vacant WBC light-heavyweight title, over 12 rounds
Broadcast: DAZN

The fight was first set up as an eliminator for the interim title. The WBC confirmed in October that the winner will be its full world champion at 175lbs, after David Benavidez vacated the belt and moved up to cruiserweight. Some listings still show the old "interim" billing, but the WBC's own announcement is the one that counts. Buatsi is ranked No. 3 by the WBC and Hutchinson No. 6.

Tale of the tape

	Joshua Buatsi	Willy Hutchinson
Record	20-1	20-2
KOs	13	14
Age	33	28
Height	6ft 2in	6ft 1in
Reach	74.5in	73in
Stance	Orthodox	Orthodox

Last five fights

Joshua Buatsi	Result	Date
Zach Parker	W MD 10	Nov 2025
Callum Smith	L UD 12	Feb 2025
Willy Hutchinson	W SD 12	Sep 2024
Dan Azeez	W UD 12	Feb 2024
Paweł Stępień	W UD 10	May 2023

Willy Hutchinson	Result	Date
Ezra Taylor	W UD 10	Mar 2026
Mark Jeffers	W TKO 7	Oct 2025
Joshua Buatsi	L SD 12	Sep 2024
Craig Richards	W UD 12	Jun 2024
Martin Houben	W TKO 2	Mar 2024

The first fight

They first met at Wembley Stadium on 21 September 2024, on the undercard of Joshua vs Dubois, for the WBO interim title. Buatsi won a split decision, 117-108 and 115-110 on two cards and 112-113 against him on the third. The two wide scores flatter Buatsi. It was a fast, two-way fight, and Hutchinson's sharp combinations and movement won him several rounds. Buatsi's two knockdowns were the difference. A 10-8 round is worth two normal rounds, and in a fight this close that is decisive.

The lesson for the rematch is that Hutchinson can box with Buatsi, but he can't afford to be careless when they exchange.

Key factors

1. Momentum is with Hutchinson

Since that night, Hutchinson has won twice. He stopped Mark Jeffers in seven rounds and then clearly outboxed the unbeaten Ezra Taylor, winning by scores of 99-91, 98-92 and 98-92 at Co-op Live in March. He has looked sharper and more patient, and he is five years younger. Buatsi lost a clear decision to Callum Smith in Riyadh. He then came back with a majority decision over Zach Parker that raised more questions than it answered.

2. Buatsi's power is still the trump card

Buatsi isn't a one-punch knockout artist at world level, but his right hand and left hook to the body are heavy. He already knows he can put Hutchinson down. That changes how Hutchinson has to fight. He has to stay disciplined and not sit in the pocket trading for long. If he slips back into the trading habits of the first fight, Buatsi has the tools to punish him again.

3. Has Buatsi slowed down?

This is the big question. Buatsi is 33, and against Smith he was outworked and out-muscled late in the fight. Against Parker he looked short of the output he had in 2023–24. If he has lost even half a step, Hutchinson's speed and volume become far more dangerous. Look for that in the first three rounds. If Buatsi is letting his hands go and cutting off the ring, he's still the fighter who won the first fight. If he's following Hutchinson around and loading up on single shots, the rematch is likely to go the other way.

4. Durability

Hutchinson's one stoppage loss was a TKO 5 against Lennox Clarke in 2021, and he went down twice against Buatsi. Buatsi has never been stopped and took Smith's heavy shots for 12 rounds. Over 12 rounds that durability gap is real, even though Hutchinson got up both times in the first fight and finished strongly.

5. Home advantage is neutral

Manchester isn't home for either man. Buatsi is from south London and Hutchinson is from Carstairs in Scotland. Both will have big travelling support, so don't expect the crowd to swing close rounds.

How the fight plays out

Expect Hutchinson to start the better of the two again, using his feet and sharp one-twos to win the early rounds on activity. Buatsi tends to work his way in, so the middle rounds should be where he invests in the body and starts landing his right hand on the inside. The key period is rounds 6 to 9, where Buatsi did his damage last time. If Hutchinson gets through that stretch clean, he can win the fight late on output. If Buatsi lands something heavy, even without a knockdown, it should swing close rounds his way.

A stoppage is possible, most likely a late Buatsi stoppage of a tired Hutchinson, but both men have shown they can go 12 rounds at a high pace. The likeliest result is a close decision.

Final prediction

Joshua Buatsi to win on points over 12 rounds (most likely a split or majority decision).

Hutchinson by decision is clearly the next most likely result. We think the fight goes the distance, and the most likely stoppage is a late Buatsi one.