Buatsi-Hutchinson II could become full WBC title fight after Benavidez rules out 175lb return

Joshua Buatsi and Willy Hutchinson’s November 7 rematch could be upgraded from an interim contest to a full WBC light-heavyweight title fight after David Benavidez ruled out returning to 175lbs.

The WBC has yet to announce any change to Benavidez’s championship status, although Hutchinson expects an update shortly.

Speaking to The Ring’s Mike Coppinger at the Garcia-Benn event on Saturday, Benavidez was asked: “We know you’re not going back to 75 ever again?” He replied: “No, No”.

Benavidez won the interim WBC light-heavyweight title by outpointing Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June 2024 and retained it against David Morrell the following February. He was elevated to full champion in April 2025 after Dmitry Bivol vacated rather than face him in a mandatory defence, and stopped Anthony Yarde in seven rounds in his first defence that November.

The WBC then allowed Benavidez to move up to cruiserweight without relinquishing its 175lb title. He knocked out Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez in the sixth round in May to win the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles but remained listed as the WBC light-heavyweight champion in the sanctioning body’s September ratings.

Benavidez is due to challenge newly elevated WBC cruiserweight champion Michal Cieslak on December 12. The WBC has ordered Jai Opetaia to face the winner after Benavidez and Opetaia verbally agreed to a possible fight in May 2027.

Hutchinson told talkSPORT Boxing last week that he expected news on the status of the November 7 contest within “the next 10 days, two weeks”. The fight is currently scheduled for the interim WBC title, but Hutchinson said “we can be moved to the real world title”.

Buatsi, 20-1 (13 KOs), and Hutchinson, 20-2 (14 KOs), will meet at Manchester’s AO Arena. The Ring ranks them fifth and seventh respectively at light-heavyweight.

Buatsi dropped Hutchinson twice and won a split decision in their first fight, on the Daniel Dubois-Anthony Joshua undercard at Wembley Stadium in September 2024. Hutchinson has since pushed for a rematch, while Buatsi said the title at stake was the reason he accepted it.

“It was for what was at stake,” Buatsi said at the press conference announcing the fight. “So, that’s the exact and only reason why I’ve taken it.”