Last verified: November 8, 2026, at 9:07 a.m. UTC (9:07 a.m. GMT in the United Kingdom).
Willy Hutchinson defeated Joshua Buatsi by unanimous decision on November 7, 2026, in Manchester, avenging his 2024 loss and winning the vacant WBC light heavyweight world title. The judges scored their 12-round rematch 117-112, 115-113 and 115-113 for Hutchinson.
The result changes the direction of an all-British rivalry that began with Buatsi's victory at Wembley Stadium. Hutchinson is now a world champion, while the two fighters have one win apiece against each other. Sky Sports reported the result and official scores.
Destaques
Hutchinson won a unanimous decision, meaning all three judges had him ahead at the end of the contest. Two scored it 115-113, while the third had it 117-112. The result gave Hutchinson his revenge after Buatsi had won their first meeting on points.
According to Sky Sports, Hutchinson's hand speed, movement and counterpunching helped him build an early advantage. Buatsi pressed more effectively in the second half, working to the head and body, but his late effort was not enough to overturn Hutchinson's lead on the cards.
The close margins on two scorecards also explain why the final rounds mattered: a unanimous decision means agreement on the winner, but it does not necessarily mean the judges saw a one-sided fight.
The fight took place on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the AO Arena in Manchester, England. Manchester was observing Greenwich Mean Time, GMT (UTC+00:00), on that date. The exact opening-bell time has not been independently confirmed here.
Promoter Queensberry announced the event for DAZN. Its original announcement described an interim-title fight; the stakes subsequently changed to the full WBC world title.
Hutchinson won the vacant WBC light heavyweight world championship, a major title in the 175-pound division. The belt was available after David Benavidez vacated it to continue at cruiserweight. That distinction matters because early promotional material described the contest as being for an interim belt, a different designation from the full championship ultimately at stake.
The promoter's later preview confirmed the upgrade to a WBC world-title contest. For Hutchinson, the decision delivered his first full professional world title and a significantly different reward from simply evening the rivalry.
Buatsi won their first meeting on September 21, 2024, at Wembley Stadium in London. It was a split decision: two judges favored Buatsi, 117-108 and 115-110, while the third scored it 113-112 for Hutchinson, according to the World Boxing Council's account.
Buatsi knocked Hutchinson down in the sixth and ninth rounds and won the interim WBO light heavyweight title. Hutchinson got up both times and finished the bout, but the knockdowns were central to Buatsi's victory. Their different paths to winning rounds made a return match compelling: Hutchinson had to deal with an opponent whose power had already altered their first fight.
Both men stayed involved in prominent British light heavyweight contests after Wembley. Buatsi lost to Callum Smith in February 2025 and then returned to winning ways against Zach Parker. Hutchinson rebuilt with victories over Mark Jeffers and Ezra Taylor, according to Queensberry's event announcement.
Those results gave the rematch a context beyond the unfinished rivalry. Buatsi was trying to return to a championship position after the Smith defeat, while Hutchinson had an opportunity to turn two subsequent wins into a world-title breakthrough. The vacant WBC belt made the stakes higher still.
There is no confirmed third fight as of the verification time above. With the series level at one victory each, a deciding bout would be easy for fans to understand, but an even rivalry does not itself guarantee that either boxer will sign for another meeting.
Hutchinson also has other potential opportunities as champion. He expressed interest in facing Anthony Yarde after the rematch, according to ringside coverage. That is a stated preference, not an announcement of an agreement. Any next fight would depend on negotiations and the WBC's championship requirements.
No. Hutchinson won by unanimous decision after 12 rounds.
Buatsi won a split decision at Wembley Stadium in September 2024, after knocking Hutchinson down twice.
No. The fighters have one win each, but no third bout had been confirmed at the time of this update.
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