In a night of high drama at London's OVO Arena Wembley, Joshua Buatsi emerged victorious from an explosive all-British light-heavyweight clash against Dan Azeez, though not without surviving several heart-stopping moments in a fight that lived up to its considerable hype.
The much-anticipated domestic showdown saw Buatsi maintain his perfect professional record with scores of 116-110, 117-109, and 117-109 on the judges' scorecards, though these margins hardly reflected the intensely competitive nature of the contest.
A Tactical Battle Turns Brutal
The early rounds showcased both fighters' respect for each other's power, with Buatsi establishing his jab while Azeez pressed forward aggressively. The tactical chess match exploded into life in the fourth round when Azeez suffered a nasty slip that left him grimacing in pain, potentially compromising his movement for the remainder of the fight.
Despite the apparent injury, Azeez displayed remarkable courage, continuing to walk through Buatsi's sharp counters to land heavy shots of his own. The middle rounds saw both men trade devastating blows in centre ring, bringing the capacity crowd to its feet on multiple occasions.
Buatsi's Class Shines Through
As the fight progressed into the championship rounds, Buatsi's superior technical skills began to tell. The Crystal Palace fighter consistently found a home for his right hand and uppercut, though Azeez's incredible durability ensured he remained dangerous until the final bell.
The dramatic nature of the contest was perhaps best summarised by promoter Ben Shalom, who stated: "What a fight. That was an incredible, incredible fight. Both guys left everything in there."
What Comes Next?
With this victory, Buatsi positions himself as the mandatory challenger for WBA light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol. The win sets up a potential blockbuster showdown between two highly skilled technicians, though Bivol must first navigate his own scheduled bout against Artur Beterbiev.
For Azeez, despite suffering his first professional defeat, his stock has arguably risen through his courageous performance against one of Britain's most avoided fighters. The Lewisham man demonstrated he belongs at world level and will likely return stronger from this experience.
Both fighters emerged from this brutal encounter with enhanced reputations, having delivered one of the most memorable domestic clashes in recent British boxing history.
