Buatsi gets shot at British title

Joshua Buatsi Pic: Boxing AIBA

Croydon prospect Joshua Buatsi will challenge Liam Conroy for the vacant British light-heavyweight title.

The fixture follows on from  the former victor Callum Johnson vacating the championshipon the back of an unsuccessful world title challenge against Artur Beterbiev in 2018.

The match is scheduled to get the go ahead in the coming weeks and will take place in May.

25-year-old Olympic Bronze winner Buatsi who is 9-0, 7 of which are by way of knockout, made his professional debut in 2017. His slightly more seasoned competitor represented Scotland in the 2010 commonwealth games in Delhi. The 33-year-old light- heavyweight is 17-1.

Buatsi’s promoter Eddie Hearn had hopes of the Croydon fighter taking on fellow light-heavyweight Anthony Yarde.

Hearn told IFL TV: “As I understood it – and there was no question this was supposed to happen – if Callum Johnson vacates to take a fight in America, who are the light-heavyweights you are going to order to fight in Britain?

“Buatsi is already in. Who is the other one? Who is he? Yarde.

“So, I’m just speculating that perhaps a phone call was made to say, ‘don’t put Yarde forward for this fight’.

The undefeated Yarde who is due to fight Frenchmen Mehdi Amar in late February appears to share the same sentiment. In an interview with FightHype.com, the Hackney-born contender said: “I want that fight as well.”

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