"It’s inevitable" – Joshua Buatsi on fight with Anthony Yarde

Joshua Buatsi secured a points victory over Craig Richards in a British light heavyweight showdown this weekend. He has since said that he wants to face another British fighter before challenging for a world title.

Anthony Yarde is the Commonwealth Light Heavyweight Champion. He most recently defeated Lyndon Arthur, who he'd been beaten by in 2020. In 2019, Yarde unsuccessfully challenged Sergey Kovalev for the WBO Light Heavyweight Title.

Buatsi and his trainer, Virgil Ortiz, have both identified Anthony Yarde as the most likely opponent. Yahoo! News reported today that Buatsi said:

"I feel like it’s inevitable, it’s going to happen but it’s just a matter of when."

Of a potential fight with Dmitry Bivol, the current WBA Light Heavyweight Champion, Buatsi said:

"The Bivol association is primarily because we’re both promoted by Eddie Hearn. It’s an easier fight to make, that’s the fight we want. But if Yarde was offered next before Bivol, I’d definitely take that."

Joshua Buatsi's defeat of Craig Richards, who challenged Bivol in 2021, has entered him into the conversation of potential title challengers. The fight itself was a WBA eliminator, meaning that Richards has been dropped from the running.

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Joshua Buatsi vs. Craig Richards

Joshua Buatsi was the favorite going into the bout with Richards. However, the fight was a close match between two good boxers. In the end, Richards was bested by the younger fighter, who claimed a unanimous decision on the cards.

When Craig Richards opened up, he often appeared to be the better fighter. Yet, his hesitancy kept him from establishing control of the rhythm and pace of the match.

Early on, Joshua Buatsi effectively worked his way in using a long jab and elevation changes. On the inside, he threw wide hooks. Though the hooks were loose, and Richards was able to roll many, 'Just Business' had success countering Richards' returns.

Richards and Buatsi rolled and exchanged well, catching one another with hard hooks, particularly towards the end of the eighth round. However, it appeared that Buatsi's shots did more damage overall. At the tail-end of the fight, Buatsi's defense and counterpunching carried him to the decision.