Eddie Hearn and Joshua Buatsi Angling for Title Fight with Dmitry Bivol!
British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi (15-0, 13 KOs) has made the next step from a promising prospect to a highly-ranked world contender. The 29-year-old is coming off a solid win over fellow Brit and world-ranked 175-pounder Craig Richards on May 21 at the O2 Arena in London, England.
Currently ranked second by the WBA and IBF, third by the WBC, and fifth by the WBO, is a world title shot next in line? That is certainly in the plan and the hope of his promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Promotions.
During an interview on the Pro Boxing-Fans.com YouTube channel, Hearn revealed he’s taking steps for a contest between his fighter and current WBA Super light heavyweight champ Dmitry Bivol (20-0, 11 KOs).
BRING ON THE CHAMP
“We want Buatsi to fight Bivol. We’ve made an offer now to Buatsi to fight Bivol, which we want to make sure he’s happy with, and hopefully, we can make that fight. It’s not done yet, it’s not signed, but we’re seeing if we can make the numbers work.”
Given his high ranking, Buatsi is in line for that kind of fight. He’s improved and reached the level where it’s the right time to see if he’s good enough to win a world title. But a stumbling block can put a complete halt on that effort.
NOT SO FAST!
While Buatsi is ranked second by the WBA, the mandatory challenger is Gilberto Ramirez (44-0, 30 KOs). The ex-WBO super middleweight champ is coming off a fourth-round stoppage over Dominic Boesel on May 14 in what was a WBA light heavyweight eliminator. “Zurdo” is hungry to put his fists on Bivol. He’s challenged him numerous times, including during an exclusive interview with 3Kings Boxing before his win over Boesel.
The ultimate determination in whether Buatsi can land a fight with Bivol lies at the feet of the WBA. If they order a contest between Bivol and Ramirez, Team Buatsi will have to wait and hope to land a world title shot down the line.
But if they don’t order Bivol versus Ramirez, the plot thickens. Buatsi is a big attraction across the pond. His fight with Richards drew good numbers and Matchroom is a powerhouse on the promotional side. Bivol is coming off a career-best win over current undisputed 168-pound champ Canelo Alvarez. His profile is higher than at any point in his career. However, Team Bivol is not stupid.
They understand the business of the sport. A fight with Buatsi on the road has the potential to result in a hefty payday, certainly more than they would earn in a match with Ramirez. So if that fight were to happen, it would be in Great Britain.
So while Hearn and Buatsi want Bivol next, it’s not really their call. To call this situation fluid would be an understatement. There’s still a lot to be determined. Given that backdrop, stay tuned to 3Kings Boxing for further updates on this evolving situation that has a long way before reaching any conclusion.
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By: Michael Wilson Jr.
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