Can Joshua Buatsi finally deliver on his potential after joining forces with Queensberry?

Buatsi was expected to win a world title but has stalled in recent years; can he get back on track under the guidance of Frank Warren?

Joshua Buatsi is looking to get his career back on track after losing his last fight (Getty Images)

Joshua Buatsi will make his Queensberry debut tonight when he faces fellow Briton Zach Parker in Manchester.

The light-heavyweight contest will top the bill, with both men looking to move up the pecking order towards a world-title shot.

Buatsi, 32, turned professional over eight years ago but is yet to get his hands on world-championship gold. His career has been a slow-burner, and he suffered his first defeat earlier this year when he was outpointed by Callum Smith.

But after joining forces with Queensberry, can Buatsi finally deliver on his potential?

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Why did everyone want to sign Buatsi when he turned professional?

Buatsi dominated at domestic level as an amateur, winning the English National Championships in 2014 and 2015. He earned his place on Great Britain’s Olympic team in 2016 and took the Games by storm.

Aged 23, Buatsi won his first two contests in Rio by knockout, while his quarter-final opponent was given two standing counts as the Briton cruised through to the last four. Buatsi was beaten on points by Kazakhstan’s Adilbek Niyazymbetov in the semi-finals but had done enough to walk away with a bronze medal.

The rising star had proved he was a classy operator who also possessed knockout power in both hands, qualities that were always likely to translate well when he moved across to the professional code.

Multiple promoters were keen to land Buatsi’s signature when he made the switch in 2017, but it was Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing who managed to get a deal over the line.

Buatsi won bronze at the Rio 2016 Olympics (Getty)

How did Buatsi fare with Matchroom?

Buatsi stepped into the ring for the first time as a professional in July 2017 and got straight down to work, winning by stoppage inside two rounds. He was very active in his first 12 months with Matchroom, fighting seven times, and he got his reward at the end of it all by picking up the WBA International light-heavyweight title.

This improved his world ranking and he then ticked off a childhood dream of winning the British title when he knocked out Liam Conroy in three rounds in March 2019.

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Buatsi was progressing at a rapid pace as he took care of former world-title challenger Marco Antonio Periban in New York before returning to the UK to see off Ryan Ford a little under three months later.

He seemed to be closing in on a world-title shot, but a shoulder injury led to Buatsi spending over a year out of the ring as his development stalled. Upon his return, Buatsi won his next three fights by knockout – a run that included a brutal stoppage victory over Ricards Bolotniks on a Matchroom Fight Camp card.

Once he beat fellow Londoner Craig Richards on points in May 2022, a title fight appeared to be the next logical step. But Buatsi could not agree terms with Dmitry Bivol or Artur Beterbiev as his relationship with Matchroom hit the rocks. It was time to look elsewhere to get his career back on track.

Buatsi spent the first six years of his professional career with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom (Getty)

What did Buatsi achieve with Boxxer?

Buatsi announced his switch to Boxxer in March 2023 after a period of inactivity. His new promoter, Ben Shalom, was keen for Buatsi to get moving and quickly booked him a fight in Birmingham for May 2023.

Buatsi faced the little-known Pawel Stepien across 10 rounds and eased his way to a points win. However, it was a largely forgettable fight as Buatsi failed to deliver the statement performance he would have hoped for. Once again, Buatsi was then sidelined with several months before he finally returned to fight Dan Azeez in early 2024.

It was a chance for Buatsi to prove he belonged on the world stage, but he was pushed all the way by Azeez before pulling clear in the final rounds as he scored two knockdowns. Azeez insisted both were slips but his protests fell on deaf ears. Still, it had been a tougher night for Buatsi than many had predicted.

Another domestic dust-up followed as Buatsi squared off with Willy Hutchinson on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s fight with Daniel Dubois last September. Buatsi had the clear edge in power and hurt Hutchinson multiple times, but he lacked the killer instinct to finish the job. Buatsi got the nod via split decision after 12 gruelling rounds, yet it had been another unconvincing display.

He finally took the next step in his career back in February when he took on Callum Smith for the WBO interim title. The two men produced a thrilling contest and were both hurt on multiple occasions. Smith held the upper hand throughout, though, and deservedly got his hand raised at the final bell.

Buatsi had showed his heart and determination but fallen short at the highest level as his four-fight deal with Boxxer came to an end.

Can Buatsi finally win a world title after joining forces with Queensberry?

Buatsi made a very promising start with Matchroom before his career stagnated and he moved on to Boxxer. Under the guidance of Ben Shalom, he was unable to get back to his best as he picked up three decision wins before losing to Callum Smith. Now, he has the chance for another fresh start at Queensberry, and he must take it.

Following his amateur exploits, it seemed almost a guarantee that Buatsi would be a world champion one day. But he is yet to deliver on that potential and time is running out. He needs to remind fans why he was so highly rated as a young prospect, and he will get his first opportunity tonight.

Zach Parker is no pushover and has competed at fringe world level in the past. But if Buatsi still has world title ambitions, he has to get past Parker in style. It is also vital that he remains active moving forward, and that should not be an issue given how strong the domestic light-heavyweight scene is.

If he beats Parker, Buatsi could target the likes of Anthony Yarde, Ben Whittaker, or a rematch with Smith to prove he is Britain’s best. Then he can set his sights on finally winning a world title as he bids to finish his career with no regrets.

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