Joshua Buatsi and Willy Hutchinson will now compete for the vacant WBC light heavyweight world title in Manchester on November 7. The upgrade follows David Benavidez officially vacating the championship to campaign full-time at cruiserweight.
What began as a scheduled interim title fight on a Queensberry Promotions card has turned into a full world championship bout. The sanctioning body confirmed the upgrade after Benavidez formally relinquished the belt to focus on his career at 200 pounds.
How David Benavidez Vacated the Belt to Move Up
Benavidez captured the WBC interim belt in June 2024 by defeating Oleksandr Gvozdyk in his first fight at 175 pounds, following frustrations over failing to secure a bout with Saul Canelo
Alvarez at super-middleweight. He defended the interim status with a win over David Morrell, then became full champion when Dmitry Bivol opted to vacate rather than face him. After stopping Anthony Yarde in the seventh round, Benavidez moved up further in weight.
In May, he became the first man to stop Gilberto Ramirez, claiming the WBA and WBO cruiserweight belts in one of his career-best performances. Feeling comfortable at the heavier weight, Benavidez decided against returning to light heavyweight, leaving both the WBA regular belt and the WBC world title behind as he targets a December fight against Michał Cieślak and future bouts against Jai Opetaia or Oleksandr Usyk.
Even though he had previously mapped out a strategy to drop back down to light-heavyweight for bouts against division elites Artur Beterbiev and Bivol, Benavidez recently stated that his high level of comfort at 200lbs means a comeback to 175 is off the table.
Joshua Buatsi and Willy Hutchinson Face Off at AO Arena
With the championship vacant, the WBC light heavyweight title will be on the line when Buatsi and Hutchinson meet at the AO Arena in Manchester, England. Fight fans worldwide can watch the event live on DAZN.
The two fighters previously met in September 2024 at Wembley Stadium on the undercard of Daniel Dubois versus Anthony Joshua. In that first encounter, Buatsi won by split decision after knocking Hutchinson down in the sixth and ninth rounds and benefiting from a point deduction against Hutchinson in the seventh for head use.
CONFIRMED: Buatsi vs Hutchinson is for the WBC Light Heavyweight World Title. Brit vs Brit. World title on the line. Manchester, November 7
Queensberry Promotions, via X
Promoter Frank Warren posted on social media that the updated card makes the upcoming year-end event more important.
Only world title fights on Queensberry between now and the end of the year, with the WBC Light Heavyweight title now on the line in Manchester.
Frank Warren, promoter via X
Rematch Dynamics in Manchester
The championship upgrade alters the stakes for both men. Rather than holding an interim status and pursuing alternative paths toward a belt, the victor immediately claims a complete world title, enabling one of the British fighters to secure maiden world honors and maintain momentum within the division.
For Hutchinson, the rematch offers both revenge and a chance to capture his first non-interim world championship. Analysts note that he must control distance and increase his punch volume while avoiding the canvas errors that cost him points and knockdowns in their first meeting.
Hutchinson’s speed allows him to slip in and out of harm’s way, employing well-timed pull counters to baffle his rival during an encounter shaping up as a classic test of force pitted against quickness.