30-year-old Joshua Buatsi, an undefeated light heavyweight contender, sees himself as a leading fighter in his weight class. He recently returned to competition with a win over Pawel Stepien, following a year-long hiatus due to promotional and managerial issues. Now positioned as the number one contender in the WBA’s light heavyweight rankings, Buatsi is monitoring the landscape closely, particularly focusing on two potential rivals - Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev.
Bivol, the current world champion, is expected to rematch Saul “Canelo” Alvarez this September. The details are still being finalized, with no guarantee that Bivol’s WBA title will be at stake, as Bivol contemplates dropping down to 168 to challenge Canelo for his undisputed super middleweight crown. Meanwhile, Beterbiev, who holds the WBC, IBF, and WBO world titles, is preparing for a mandatory defense against Callum Smith in August.
Buatsi is cautious yet eager, poised to adapt to the developments in the division. He told Sky Sports, “Is Bivol going to vacate the belt and move down to fight Canelo? Is Beterbiev going to say one more [fight] and I’m retiring? It’s so hard to say. It’s so unpredictable.” With uncertainty hanging over the weight class, Buatsi aims to position himself favorably to seize the right opportunity when it arises.
Buatsi maintains an aggressive stance, expressing his willingness to face either Bivol or Beterbiev should the chance arise. “I haven’t turned down an opponent to say, ‘Oh I don’t want to fight this guy’,” Buatsi asserted. Even though his coach Virgil Hunter suggested that a couple more fights would leave him better prepared, Buatsi is ready to seize the moment. He is confident in his capabilities, declaring, “They’re killers [Bivol and Beterbiev], but I believe I’m one too. It's that simple.”
Image Credit: Sky Sports