Willy Hutchinson wins vacant WBC light heavyweight title

Willy Hutchinson claimed the vacant WBC light heavyweight title by defeating Joshua Buatsi via unanimous decision at the AO Arena in Manchester. The Scottish boxer avenged his September 2024 defeat, winning with judges' scores of 117-112, 115-113, and 115-113.

Hutchinson controlled the early rounds using lateral movement, a sharp lead hand, and counter-punching to establish distance. While Buatsi mounted a significant rally in the later rounds through aggressive body punching and increased pressure, he was unable to overcome the early deficit on the official scorecards.

The title became vacant after American David Benavidez relinquished the WBC belt to move up to the cruiserweight division. Following the victory, Hutchinson expressed interest in a future title defense against Anthony Yarde.