Scotland’s Willy Hutchinson will be on a mission to realize the dream he wrote as a 13-year-old when he fights for the vacant WBC light heavyweight title on Saturday.
Hutchinson and British rival Joshua Buatsi met in a rematch at Manchester’s AO Arena, just over two years after Buatsi earned a split decision win in their youthful debut.
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In his final news conference before the championship fight, Hutchinson, 28, explained that he had given up his teenage boxing goals while working with his dad – and becoming WBC champion was at the top.
After David Benavidez returned the WBC gold to cruiserweight, the fight that was originally scheduled for the interim title was upgraded.
“I wrote in a pen and a book that I would become the strongest amateur of Scotland, Britain, Europe and the world,” said Hutchinson.
“On the other side of this book – I’m 13 and I still have this book to this day – I wrote that he will become WBC world champion.
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“I already have silver and international and now I’m fighting for the main belt.”
The ‘Hutch-Train’ became the first Scottish boxer to win gold at the amateur World Championships nearly 10 years ago, triumphing at youth level.
The day of that victory and the night of Buatsi’s fight are just days in the calendar, which Hutchinson says is “absolutely fantastic”.
Broadcaster Adam Smith, who received the news in an interview on Thursday, challenged Hutchinson to write a book containing his boxing ambitions on Saturday night, the Scotsman said that “surely we can be something”.
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Hutchinson rushed to get under Buatsi’s skin in the build-up to their first fight, but there was no sign this time when they spoke at Manchester’s New Century Hall.
The fighters were asked about their recent respect for each other, with Hutchinson saying he was “mature”.
The Scot’s edge was always closer to Buatsi’s face and tension could be felt, but his maturity remained intact.
Winning titles was ‘not a dream’ for Buatsi
Unlike his opponent, Buatsi had no plans to become a young star boxer.
“My life was very different from all these. Fighting in the arenas, winning titles and going to the Olympics, as a child, this was not my dream,” Buatsi said.
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The Londoner, now 33, was tipped for big things when she claimed an Olympic bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Games, but her progress has been slower than expected.
With a record 20 wins and one professional defeat, this is potentially Buatsi’s only chance to win a world title.
He looked at the entire news conference later mixed with the media.
“When I started playing, I liked the roads, they did it, and then the dream came,” said Buatsi.
‘Dude, if you were asking if I wanted to do this, hell no.
I didn’t have a vision, but now I have, we’re focused on it, and we’re almost there.