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Matchroom Announced Joshua Buatsi-Craig Richards For May

Matchroom Announced Joshua Buatsi-Craig Richards For May

Boxing News

Matchroom Announced Joshua Buatsi-Craig Richards For May

Ian Walton Matchroom Boxing

Matchroom Announced Joshua Buatsi-Craig Richards For May

On Monday, Matchroom Boxing confirmed that Joshua Buatsi will face former World Title challenger Craig Richards in a huge all London Light-Heavyweight clash on Saturday May 21, live worldwide on DAZN (excluding New Zealand and Australia).

The Brit Buatsi (15-0, 13 KOs) scored his tenth knockout in a row, when he stopped Latviaā€™s Ricards Bolotniks in the eleventh round of their WBA Light-Heavyweight world title eliminator on the third and final week of Matchroom’s “Fight Camp” in August.

The 29-year-old was set to face Russiaā€™s former World Title challenger Maxim Vlasov on the undercard of Joseph Parkerā€™s rematch with Derek Chisora at the AO Arena in Manchester in December before suffering a hand injury.

Crystal Palaceā€™s former British Light-Heavyweight Champion Richards (17-2-1, 10 KOs) put in a spirited display as he pushed WBA Light-Heavyweight World Champion Dmitry Bivol all the way in his first World Title attempt in May 2021.

The ā€˜Spiderā€™ returned to winning ways at the O2 Arena last October on the Cameron vs. McGee undercard, impressively stopping Polandā€™s Marek Matyja in six rounds to earn the vacant WBA International Light-Heavyweight Title.

ā€œTwo London boys coming together, itā€™s going to be a huge night,ā€ said Buatsi said in the Matchroom release. ā€œThe Light-Heavyweight scene in this country is thriving and Iā€™m glad that we are able to get one of the biggest fights made.

“The crowd are going to be in for a treat. I am coming to win and nothing else, I am sure Richards is doing the same. He had a close fight with Bivol so will want to make things straight, but I have other plans. Win well and then push onto the World Title by any means necessary.ā€

ā€œWeā€™re two top tier fighters from the UK,ā€ added Richards. ā€œThis is one of the biggest London domestic clashes for a long time. This is a very exciting fight for us both, but also one the fans will enjoy. Buatsi has got his plans and Iā€™m sure he be well prepared, but nobody is going to stop me from fulfilling my destiny of becoming a World Champion!

“He is a solid competitor and will be coming to win, but I am confident and believe I have the tools to get the job done. I proved myself at world level and Iā€™m eager to prove thatā€™s where I belong.ā€

ā€œA big well done and thank you to Joshua and Craig for taking this fight, itā€™s exactly the kind of fight boxing should be making,ā€ said Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport Chairman.

ā€œTwo domestic Light-Heavyweights on the verge of a World Title shot decide to put it on the line rather than wait in a queue, giving us a fantastic battle of London that can only be a thriller.”

Matchroom will give full undercard details soon for the show on May 21st.

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A veteran broadcaster of over 25 years, T.J. has been a fight fan longer than that! Heā€™s the host of the ā€œBig Fight Weekendā€ podcast and will go ā€œtoe to toeā€ with anyone who thinks that Marvin Hagler beat Sugar Ray Leonard or that Tyson, Lennox Lewis or Deontay Wilder could have beaten Ali!

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