Britain's Hutchinson beats Buatsi to take vacant WBC light-heavyweight title

Mancunian boxer Willy Hutchinson emerged victorious on Saturday, defeating fellow Briton Joshua Buatsi by unanimous decision to claim the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) light-heavyweight title. The judges scored the bout at Manchester's AO Arena 117-112, 115-113, 115-113, signifying Hutchinson's triumph after a 2024 defeat to Buatsi, who is a 2016 Olympic bronze medallist.

In the weeks leading up to the bout, undefeated American David Benavidez relinquished the title to pursue a career as a cruiserweight. Russia's Dmitry Bivol, holding WBA, WBO, IBF and Ring Magazine world championships in the light-heavyweight division, is set to defend his titles against Britain's Callum Smith on December 12 in Yekaterinburg.