Croydon fighter Joshua Buatsi will make his Wembley Stadium debut on Saturday night taking on Willy Hutchinson for the WBO interim title as he looks to push himself to the front of the pile for a world title fight.
By fight week when the media frenzy begins, remaining focused becomes paramount. Many fighters will use this period to get any final edge possible over their opponent, embracing the media circus with trash talking of the most flamboyant variety. Joshua ‘Just Business’ Buatsi, is not one of those people.
In his face-off with Hutchinson for DAZN, the 18-0 fighter said: “I don’t need anything to fuel what I sign up for. I’m not like that.”
This however did not deter fellow light-heavyweight Hutchinson’s persistent jibing in an attempt to psych him out.
Two different approaches, neither right or wrong. But many fans will find it refreshing to see a humble fighter who does not get caught up in camera antics.
Originally from Ghana, Buatsi grew up in Croydon where he trained at South Norwood and Victory club, under the stewardship of Terry Smith and Mark Gillespie.
Gillespie recalls the first time Buatsi turned up to the gym and was sent away for being fifteen minutes late, but he understood expectations immediately, and never made the mistake again.
Gillespie said: “He was a pleasure to coach because he was so consistent.
“It was never did you do your running? It was how did your running go?”
The talent was clear from an early stage. A reserved and somewhat shy character, Buatsi, who was too big to spar the juniors, was thrown in with the seniors and soon showed he was a different animal in the ring.
A first England Junior Championship came in 2010 and later his big break, as he claimed bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Gillespie remembers sitting down with him for a light Chinese meal before the tournament.
He told him: “When you win your medal in Rio, your life will change.”
It was never a case of ‘if’, for him or fellow coach Terry Smith, who Gillespie attributes to “generating the monster.”
The Olympics is the stepping stone for any boxer turning professional and from then fights tend to come thick and fast.
But Buatsi, who was a sports scholar at St Mary’s University, resisted the urge and first returned to finish his studies.
The Head of Sport at St Mary’s Andrew Reid-Smith said: “Athletes like Joshua serve as an inspiration to our current sports scholars.
“We are delighted that this scholarship helped him on his medal-winning journey.”
Buatsi believed that despite boxing being the main priority, intelligence and a business head are vital in the professional scene, a testament to a man with both ambition and a devotion for doing things the right way.
Since Rio it has been tunnel vision for Buatsi who comes off the back of a thrilling twelve-round tussle with Dan Azeez where he emerged as victor by unanimous decision.
If he comes through Saturday’s clash unscathed, the light-heavyweight fighter will no doubt have his sights set on a world title bout, potentially with Artur Beterbiev or Dmitry Bivol who face off on October 12.
Whoever the opponent, there will be no hard feelings, just business.
Image by Mark Gillespie – permission to use
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