Joshua Buatsi’s trainer urges caution with British fighter, insisting he is not ready for Canelo Alvarez or Dimitry Bivol after gruelling Craig Richards win
Respect. That sometimes misused term in boxing was the first to spring to mind as Joshua Buatsi made the extraordinary gesture of crouching down to kiss the gloves of Craig Richards after defeating him in their minor epic of a fight on Saturday night.
Respect: That was the tribute Buatsi paid to his very local rival for his gallant performance at the 02, the Arena up the road from both their houses.
Nice. But there was more to it than that. Buatsi was thanking the opponent who has lived in so long in his shadow for giving him the tough kind of fight he needs if he is to fulfil his apparent destiny of winning a world light-heavyweight title.
This is the first time Buatsi has been taken the 12-round championship distance. Only twice before in his undefeated professional career has he failed to put an early end to opponents and that was in six-rounders soon after he won his bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Joshua Buatsi earned a unanimous decision win against Craig Richards on Saturday night
But Richards more than made him work for it in a brilliant scrap which lived up to the billing
He still has work to do if he is to go on and topple Dmitry Bivol or Artur Beterbiev in the future
The sternest test, as it was advertised, came at the perfect time. Buatsi needed to find the strength In depth of the man within. No more so than his team.
As promoter Eddie Hearn reeled off the candidates to be his man’s next opponents – as if from a shopping list at a Rolex store – Buatsi’s esteemed American trainer Virgil Hunter tempered his praised with muted words of caution.
Canelo Alvarez. Dimitry Bivol, the Russian who has just deposed Mexico’s world No 1. Artur Berteviev, the true iron ruler of the light-heavy division. Gennady Golovkin, the nuclear puncher twice-robbed by Canelo.
Not so fast said Hunter: ‘There are things to work on when we get back to San Francisco. Joshua is the second best fighter I’ve worked with after (the legendary) Andre Ward. Better even than Amir Khan because he doesn’t have the same issues with total focus and dedication. But if you ask me if he’s ready for Canelo or Bivol next I have to say not quite.’
Promoter Eddie Hearn says Bivol, who beat Canelo Alvarez this month, could come next
The immediate availability of either depends on whether Canelo triggers his rematch clause with Bivol. As for Bertebiev, be very careful what you wish for.
Anthony Yarde versus Buatsi wold make for a far bigger domestic blockbuster but their rival promoters are unlikely to see sense in knocking off one of Britain’s top two light-heavyweights before at least one of them can bring a world title to the table.
Thinking caps on. Perhaps Golovkin who is now the wrong side of 40, if Canelo declines their trilogy.
For sure, Buatsi climbed closer to the summit against Richards. After putting on a high-speed display of his skills to win almost all the early rounds he dealt with a robust comeback highlighted by Richards winning a spectacular eighth-round slugfest. Some of the later rounds were close enough to encourage discussion as to the margin of victory but there could be no real argument with the unanimous decision.
The official judges had Buatsi by 115-113 twice and 116-112. My card, 117-112.
Richards did not have quite enough left in the tank for an all-out grandstand finish. But he refused to buckle when badly hurt and by pushing Buatsi to new heights he has done him an enormous favour. Courteous chap that he is, the lightweight champion of south London was duly grateful. Before he moves on to loftier ambitions.
Source: Daily Mail Online