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Joshua Buatsi and Craig Richards will fight at light heavyweight on May 21 in London, England. The card will also feature a junior welterweight title bout between Chantelle Cameron and Victoria Noelia Bustos.
The undercard for Buatsi and Richards will include: Alen Babic vs. Adam Balski, Robbie Davies Jr. vs. Javier Molina, and Ellie Scotney vs. Maria Cecilia Roman.
Buatsi and Richards are fighting an eliminator bout for the WBA Light Heavyweight Title of the world, which is currently held by Dmitry Bivol. Bivol has held the WBA title for over four years and most recently defended it against Canelo Alvarez earlier this month.
Joshua Buatsi vs. Craig Richards Preview
Joshua Buatsi has a record of 15-0-0 with 13 knockouts. Craig Richards has a record of 17-2-1 with 10 knockouts. Both men are former British champions and Richards challenged Dmitry Bivol for the WBA (Super) Light Heavyweight Title in 2021. The fight resulted in his second career loss.
Buatsi has his sights set on a world title shot and sees Richards as a step along the way. He has expressed confidence in his career, calling himself the best fighter in England. As for his chances with Richards, he recently told DAZN that:
"I am better than him 100 per cent... when I fight, it’s straight violence. I carry myself in a certain way, but when I get in the ring, it’s straight violence."
Buatsi is a former Olympian. Richards, meanwhile, had a regionally successful amateur career. The two men met at the amateurs and stepped into the ring together in 2014, with Buatsi claiming a unanimous decision.
Richards made his professional debut in 2015 and fought largely on the domestic circuit, fighting just two boxers who were not British. Buatsi made his pro debut in 2017. He has fought outside of the UK only once but has stepped into the ring with Mexican, Spanish, Polish, Latvian, Croatian, Canadian, Australian, and French fighters.
Joshua Buatsi vs. Craig Richards Prediction
Joshua Buatsi is the favorite in the upcoming bout. He is also being pushed by promotional bodies as the more marketable and promising fighter. He has stopped or knocked out his last 10 opponents, including Ričards Bolotņiks and Liam Conroy.
Craig Richards is a good boxer and has stopped two of his last three opponents, with only Bivol going the distance. He is only three years older than Buatsi and has just five more fights under his belt. At 32, this may be his last chance to earn a shot at the world title.
Against a strong domestic talent such as Richards, Buatsi will likely not have a particularly easy night. However, he is likely to emerge victorious.
Prediction: Buatsi by knockout.
