
Boxing News
Matchroom Announced Joshua Buatsi-Craig Richards For May
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).
š£ @boxingbuatsi š„@DAZNBoxing #BuatsiRichards pic.twitter.com/gqOV1i568D
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) March 21, 2022
The Brit Buatsi (15-0, 13 KOs) scored his tenth knockout in a row, when he stopped Latviaās 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 Russiaās former World Title challenger Maxim Vlasov on the undercard of Joseph Parkerās rematch with Derek Chisora at the AO Arena in Manchester in December before suffering a hand injury.
Crystal Palaceās 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 āSpiderā returned to winning ways at the O2 Arena last October on the Cameron vs. McGee undercard, impressively stopping Polandās Marek Matyja in six rounds to earn the vacant WBA International Light-Heavyweight Title.
āTwo London boys coming together, itās going to be a huge night,ā said Buatsi said in the Matchroom release. āThe Light-Heavyweight scene in this country is thriving and Iām 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
āWeāre two top tier fighters from the UK,ā added Richards. āThis 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 Iām 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 Iām eager to prove thatās where I belong.ā
āA big well done and thank you to Joshua and Craig for taking this fight, itās exactly the kind of fight boxing should be making,ā said Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport Chairman.
āTwo 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.
A veteran broadcaster of over 25 years, T.J. has been a fight fan longer than that! Heās the host of the āBig Fight Weekendā podcast and will go ātoe 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!
