Joshua Buatsi beat Craig Richards in a rare and truly magnificent battle of local pride at the O2 late on Saturday night.
The prize for the two boxers was a world title fight under the creaking power of the WBA, but the real prize over the 12 rounds of excellence was a postcode dispute in south London. It was a fight with a global billing between two men from neighbouring streets.
They delivered 12 breathless rounds; it was a fight of high quality, bravery and resistance and intensity. They each pushed the other to the very brink. Buatsi was a big betting favourite but random odds are no good when pride takes over. They fought like men defending honour, not scrapping for a high ranking and a bonus bauble with fake gems. Damn, I will say it: It was an old-school fight, the type lost in time.
Buatsi won a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics, he was unbeaten in 15 fights, he trains in California with the enigmatic Virgil Hunter and he has been shaped for honours. However, his tests before the first bell at the O2, were comfortable and the simple truth is that nobody really knew how good he was.
Richards had lost two championship fights, had known the hardships of a struggle deep in a meaningful fight; we knew his ability to adjust, his heart had been tested over twelve rounds. Buatsi was the star, the kid destined, but his career had been slow. “He’s the Golden Boy, I know that,” Richards joked. It would turn serious very quickly in the O2 ring.
In 2014, in the London amateur championships, Buatsi had beaten Richards on points over three rounds. At the O2, the bookies had no idea how much was really on the line: The two prizefighters knew. Since that innocent night at the TA Centre in Grove Park, they both won the British light-heavyweight title, but don’t be fooled by any false narrative - Buatsi was never meant to have twelve hard rounds with Richards. This fight was shaped by Covid breaks and a desire to finally test Buatsi.
Picture 784565939They both started too fast and that set the agenda for the fight; it was furious from the opening bell and vicious. Every attack was heavy with intent; after just three minutes, the pure defiance in the air had transformed an interesting domestic fight into a brutal event. It was special real quick. Buatsi probably hit Richards harder in the opener than he had hit any of the 13 men he had stopped or knocked out; Richards never flinched, just fired back and smiled. That happens when the “belt” is something inside a boxer and not a piece of costume jewellery.
There would be no convenient tumbling by an over-matched boxer in this fight, no sudden capitulation at the first tickle of a lonely rib; Richards was not backing down and Buatsi was being backed up. It was relentless; each round often swaying from boxer to boxer and the quality of the boxing was outrageous, never turning wild with fatigue or desperation. It was class.
It was the fight that Buatsi needed after five-long years as a professional, but it was not the fight he expected. There might be denial from inside his camp over that comment, but it is true; Buatsi knew there would be pride, sure, but he thought it would be easier. That is not a slight on Richards, that’s just the reality of the build-up: There is nothing easy about Richards and nothing disrespectful about Buatsi.
It was close, perhaps 4-4 after eight and maybe 5-5 after 10. It was never easy.
“It takes two to make a great fight and we made a great fight,” Buatsi told me at the end when I gathered the pair for the post-fight interview in the ring. They had been brutal in the fight and they were wonderful in victory and defeat. It had been a privilege to be ringside.
The three judges went for Buatsi, he now gets the WBA’s blessing and more than that, we all know that he can fight. Richards came so close, fought a terrific fight and wants a rematch. They could meet again with a world title added to the prize. There will always be that special edge in a fight like this.
On Saturday night it was all about pride and it served as a reminder that there is simply no replacement in our busy boxing business for a quality domestic fight.
