Joshua Buatsi vs Willy Hutchinson II

This rematch has come at the right time for Willy Hutchinson and the wrong time for Joshua Buatsi. I thought Buatsi looked shot against Zach Parker. His feet were painfully slow, his reactions had dulled, and he struggled to close the distance against a man who moved, changed the angle and refused to stand in front of him. Buatsi got the decision, but I didn’t think he deserved it.

Parker showed Hutchinson the blueprint. Keep Buatsi turning, touch him with the jab and step away before he can set his feet. Joshua remains strong and dangerous when an opponent holds his ground, especially once he starts working the body, but he now needs too much time to prepare his attacks. If you give him a stationary target, he can still hurt you. Make him reset repeatedly, and he becomes predictable.

Hutchinson’s mistake in their first fight was allowing his discipline to disappear. He boxed well at range, then stayed in the pocket too long, dropped his hands and was caught admiring his work. He cannot afford that again. He must jab towards Buatsi’s chest, vary his exits and clinch whenever Joshua gets close enough to attack the ribs.

The younger man has faster feet, quicker hands, and a fresher engine. Those advantages matter against a fighter who appears to be declining. Hutchinson doesn’t need to prove he is tougher than Buatsi; he needs to be cleverer and avoid getting dragged into unnecessary exchanges.

I expect Buatsi to have moments when he traps Hutchinson against the ropes, but not enough of them. Willy will use Parker’s approach with greater speed and sharper combinations, build an early lead and finish strongly as Joshua struggles to keep up.

Hutchinson wins clearly on points.