Joshua Buatsi reveals what Willy Hutchinson said to him to spark heated altercation ahead of Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois undercard fight

27/06/2024 16:40

Joshua Buatsi and Willy Hutchinson nearly came to blows during a press event on Thursday.

The pair are set to square off on the Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois undercard at Wembley Stadium on September 21.

Ahead of their light-heavyweight clash, the pair sat down for a face-to-face interview to promote the fight.

When the cameras shut off, tempers flared as Buatsi – a usually level-headed fighter – throttled Hutchinson before security stepped in to break them up.

Speaking to talkSPORT.com moments after the clash, Buatsi revealed what led to the heated altercation.

“Stuff was said in the Gloves Are Off, he kept calling me a fool,” said Buatsi.

“But, of course, we are being filmed, and it’s in that setting so after it was done I thought ‘Look, once we get off I can ask him what angle it is coming from’ because someone pointing at you and calling you a fool can be quite provoking.

“So after that we addressed it and that is what you saw.

“There are only so many times you can call me a fool for me to keep sitting there and that’s not just Hutchinson, that is any man.

“I said in the sit-down, I’m going to finish this but just to let you know any more of it and I don’t know it is going to go on.”

A lot is at stake this summer for Buatsi and Hutchinson.

The WBO ‘interim’ belt has been placed on the line with the winner set to become mandatory for the winner of the upcoming undisputed clash between Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev on October 12.

A purse bid had initially been called by the WBO to establish terms for Buatsi vs Anthony Yarde.

However, Yarde was unable to accept the WBO’s call due to a ‘contractual dispute’ with his long-time promoter Queensberry.

After ordering the purse bids on May 29, the WBO set Yarde a 72-hour deadline to confirm whether he would fight Buatsi.

The time elapsed without an answer and so Buatsi vs Hutchinson was ordered instead.