Joshua Buatsi moved nearer to a light-heavyweight world-title shot by beating Craig Richards on factors in an all-British classic in London.
One decide scored it 116-112, with two scoring it 115-113, at hand Buatsi a unanimous choice win on the O2 Arena.
Buatsi, a 2016 Olympic bronze medallist, has now gained all 16 of his fights since turning skilled in 2017.
The fight was an eliminator for Dmitry Bivol’s WBA title.
“We need the world title. We’ve made it very clear. We are prepared,” Buatsi mentioned post-fight.
Both Londoners felt that they had finished sufficient to win, with Buatsi – who was staggered in the eighth spherical – dealing with his hardest check up to now.
“It could not have been an excellent fight with out Spider [Richards] so most respect to him,” he informed BBC Radio 5 Live.
“It takes two to do it and he did it. He pushed me each spherical. I knew it was an in depth fight however I’d say I harm Spider extra. You may argue for each.”
Buatsi and Richards serve up classic
It was an in depth contest involving two British fighters working at world degree.
Buatsi, 29, began the fight stronger. The Croydon man unleashed left and proper hooks in the closing seconds of spherical one. An overhand proper stiffened his opponents’ legs firstly of the second, earlier than Richards was capable of pierce Buatsi’s guard with a robust uppercut in an in depth spherical.
Both males had their successes in the third. Buatsi touchdown ferocious punches to the physique, the taller and rangier Richards capable of counter with jabs and uppercuts. The fight had develop into an actual tactical battle.
Another sustained Buatsi assault had Richards back-peddling in the fifth spherical, and once more in the sixth, however he was weathering the storm, ready for Buatsi to tire, earlier than firing again.
The fight then exploded in a terrific eighth spherical as Buatsi suffered the largest scare of his skilled profession. He was caught clear with an uppercut and clearly dazed. Richards went in for the end, however a wobbly Buatsi was nonetheless letting his palms go; and even touchdown.
Fans on the O2 Arena have been on their ft as each males staggered again to their corners.
Buatsi recovered in a quiet ninth and had Richards harm in the tenth with a flurry of punches.
Not wanting to depart such an in depth fight in the palms of the judges, Richards and Buatsi each let their palms go in the championship rounds.
Richards was gracious in defeat, saying: “I completed sturdy however credit score to Joshua. A hell of a fighter. I ought to say thank God for this event, because of Josh, a superb dance accomplice.”
He added: “I believe the followers are the winners right now. We placed on a hell of a present.”
What’s subsequent for Buatsi?
Buatsi’s victory is arguably his biggest as knowledgeable, in opposition to a top-level opponent who had already proven he can combine it at world degree.
In May final yr, Richards, 32, went the space in an in depth factors loss to WBA champion Bivol – a feat made all of the extra spectacular earlier this month when the Russian conquered pound-for-pound king Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.
Buatsi has all of the instruments to develop into a world champion, albeit in certainly one of boxing’s best weight divisions.
An Olympic bronze medallist, he has the newbie pedigree. He has the backing of promoter Eddie Hearn and Anthony Joshua’s 258 administration staff. And below the tutelage of Virgil Hunter, he boasts one of the revered trainers in world boxing.
But Buatsi’s shot at a world title will depend upon whether or not Bivol opts to rematch Mexican Alvarez subsequent.
“There is nothing in the center now between this and a world title,” promoter Eddie Hearn mentioned.
“I believe that’s the place he may go. I’d like to see a second fight between these two however I do know the place he desires to go.
Hearn added: “I believe Dmitry Bivol, if he’s accessible in the direction of the tip of the yr, that’s the fight.”
WBC and IBF champion Artur Beterbiev will face WBO champion Joe Smith Jr on 18 June in a unification conflict, whereas there additionally some home light-heavyweight choices on the market for Buatsi if a world-title shot doesn’t materialise subsequent.
He has been linked with Anthony Yarde for a variety of years, whereas Liverpool’s Callum Smith, a former super-middleweight world champion, now operates at light-heavyweight and a conflict between him and Buatsi could be an intriguing match-up.
