Joshua Buatsi Triumphs Over Willy Hutchinson Amid Boxing Drama at Wembley

In a thrilling spectacle at Wembley Stadium, Joshua Buatsi emerged victorious over Scotsman Willy Hutchinson through a split decision, securing the WBO interim light-heavyweight title. The fight, part of the Joshua vs. Dubois undercard, saw Buatsi knock down Hutchinson twice, once in the sixth round and again in the ninth. Despite this, one judge’s unexpected 113-112 score favored Hutchinson, contrasting with the other judges’ scores of 117-108 and 115-110 for Buatsi.

The bout commenced with Hutchinson landing some quick hooks in the opening round. Buatsi responded with powerful jabs and body shots in the second and third rounds, with both fighters exchanging heavy blows aimed at the ribs. By the fourth round, an overhand right forced Hutchinson onto the ropes, while blood from his right eye marked the intense nature of the fight in the fifth round.

Buatsi’s relentless assault continued in the sixth round, where he floored Hutchinson with a combination of punches. The bell spared Hutchinson from a follow-up onslaught. However, Hutchinson held his ground in the seventh round despite being penalized for a head-butting infraction. Buatsi maintained his focus in the eighth, delivering precise punches.

Hutchinson began the ninth round with a burst of energy, but Buatsi’s well-placed body shot brought Hutchinson to the canvas once more. Buatsi continued dominating in the closing rounds and was visibly relieved after hearing the final scorecards in his favor.

On the same card, Anthony Cacace defeated former world champion Josh Warrington with a unanimous decision. Although Cacace’s IBF super-featherweight belt was not up for contention, he managed to retain the lesser-regarded IBO title with judges scoring it 118-110, 117-111, and 117-111. Warrington’s high work-rate could not overshadow Cacace’s cleaner punches, effectively using his left hand in the final rounds.

Josh Kelly survived a challenging final round to clinch a majority-decision victory over Ishmael Davis, a late replacement for the ill Liam Smith. Kelly managed to stay ahead despite taking severe uppercuts from Davis. The judges favored Kelly with scores of 115-113 and 115-114, while the third judge saw the fight as a 114-114 draw.

In an unexpected turn, Josh Padley defeated Mark Chamberlain by unanimous decision, dealing a significant blow to Chamberlain’s previously unbeaten record. Padley’s decisive left hook in the eighth round floored Chamberlain, who also lost a point due to persistent infringements. All judges ruled in favor of Padley with scores of 95-93, 96-92, and 96-92.