Anthony Yarde still wants to make the long-awaited fight with Joshua Buatsi happen; Buatsi takes on Willy Hutchinson for the WBC light heavyweight world title on November 7 in Manchester
Tuesday 27 October 2026 22:18, UK
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Anthony Yarde is still targeting a fight with domestic rival Joshua Buatsi if he wins his clash with Willy Hutchinson for the vacant WBC light heavyweight world title.
Two years on from their first fight back in 2024, Buatsi takes on Hutchinson on November 7 at the AO Arena in Manchester.
Buatsi emerged victorious in their first meeting after dropping Hutchinson twice then winning via decision.
Now, Yarde is backing Buatsi to claim the win because that means they are one step closer to finally meeting in the ring.
Yarde has long been linked with a fight against his fellow light-heavyweight, with the two men seemingly on a collision course ever since Buatsi turned professional after winning bronze at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
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However, the fight, up until this point, has never materialised.
"I have shown time and time again I'm willing to fight anybody and as soon as it got to the point where the public, the pundits and everybody was calling for this fight, I said let's make it happen," said Yarde. "It just makes sense.
"I would have probably rather fought Buatsii in England, a bigger fight for a world title, than go to Saudi Arabia.
"It is a different crowd, different environment and fight [David] Benavidez or even [Artur] Beterbiev, I would have preferred the Buatsi fight over all of them.
"I am not saying because it's an easier fight or anything like that, it is because in my opinion it was a bigger fight."
While Yardley is backing Buatsi in the ring, he thinks his opponent Hutchinson outdoes him in the "entertainment" category by some distance.
"Buatsi is as boring as watching paint dry outside of the ring," he added.
"Because of the public, the Buatsi fight would just make more sense. I would probably want him to win so me and him could fight for a world title.
"But in terms of entertainment outside of the ring, which I think is very important, Hutchinson makes sense as well."