Joshua Buatsi returns to the ring against Pawel Stepien in Birmingham on Saturday - watch live on Sky Sports Action or Sky Showcase from 7pm; Lauren Price and Ben Whittaker are also in action
Saturday 20 May 2023 16:01, UK
Joshua Buatsi believes he can dethrone Dmitry Bivol and has been 'annoyed' by claims he did not want that world title fight, says Johnny Nelson.
When Joshua Buatsi first came on the scene peopled likened him to a young light heavyweight version of Evander Holyfield, his style, his tenacity. And then it all seemed to flatten out a little so he wasn't in a position you'd expect him to be at a certain time in his career.
For whatever reason that is, it seems to have got lost in and amongst the wilderness which is mad for such a talented fighter. Now it's more apparent he's taken matters into his own hands and has gone 'right, I want to run my own career, I want to show you what I can do, I want consistency, I want to build my fan base up again'.
This is a good fight. I gather his opponent was originally for Callum Smith. He's unbeaten in 19 fights, 32-years-old, he's hungry, it's a testing fight and people are going 'let's see'.
Buatsi has got to show his skill in this, it's how he dispatches him and how he gets through him. It's not just the win but the fashion of the win to stamp his authority of where he is on the light heavyweight landscape. There's a lot on it because this guy has taken control of his future.
There are so many fights domestically that are proper headliners, proper venue-fillers for Buatsi so he's got to pick wisely, smartly. Down the line you're talking about Dan Azeez, these two are familiar with each other, and even though you look at Buatsi and think 'this guy has got to be the most talented out there', there are also Lyndon Arthur and Anthony Yarde, Callum Smith. Domestic fights that are there that would be great fights.
But he's looking forward, he wants to get a crack at the world title, he's got to make sure he puts himself in that position, establish himself so governing bodies look at him and go 'you're the man, you can do this'. It's a great position for him, I just want him to produce the consistency so fans actually remember and fall in love with the potential.
I don't believe that's the case, I'm talking from a fighter's point of view. Promoters, especially promoters that have an agenda, will cast that rumour flying around. This is Joshua Buatsi's business, so in his business he's thinking 'you know what, regardless of whether you believe I'm ready for Bivol or not I'm going to make sure I'm ready for it, you look at how active I've been coming into this fight, I want activity'.
I think it's smart and calculated, sometimes it's good to lose a battle to win a war and that fight will always be there as long as he keeps winning. I understand and get the choices he's made because he's doing what's best for him.
It might have been best for the promoter to put the Bivol fight on but he's doing what's best for him that gives his career longevity so you can't slap fighters down and people just don't seem to understand that. These are their lives and their business and sometimes you take a fight and go 'I can listen to ego or my brain and realise this fight is always there'.
It would frustrate him, because he knows it's not true and I'm quite sure it will annoy his team as well. He has taken control of his career, he can't just think with brawn, he's got to use brain as well. He's got to think 'time will tell its own story', and it's hard, but it all depends on how you look at these things.
If you are confident and have belief in yourself, you are happy with the decisions you made, because that fight with Bivol is always there for Joshua Buatsi. It is a fight that can always be set up, and it's got to be on his terms because he believes he can win.
Now he's back on the scene, by the end of the year that's when you're talking dates with Bivol. You want realistic conversations of it happening by the end of the year as in dates, venue. That's the position he needs to be in.
I do believe he can reach the levels of a Bivol or Artur Beterbiev. He joined camps with Virgil Hunter who is a brilliant trainer, one of the few old school mentality ones left. I rate him massively. It showed that commitment to make that move because this is a guy who wants you to live the life, he's the one that worked with Andre Ward and look what he did with him. He made it his lifestyle, Buatsi has made it his lifestyle, so I believe making that commitment will pay dividends.
For Joshua Buatsi, I personally don't think it fits into his picture. It fits into Dan Azeez's picture, but not Buatsi. Reason being is Joshua Buatsi is chasing something, he doesn't want to be looking back and getting involved in arguments. I would be thinking, 'Let's have this argument when I've reached my goal'.
It doesn't suit him, but it suits Azeez. He's got to make sure every fight is one step closer to cementing his position to fight one of the world champions out there. He can't look backwards, don't get involved in silly arguments, ego arguments.
The Anthony Yarde fight is one that needs to be delivered without a doubt. Domestically that's got to be the biggest fight, if not Smith.
If you're talking about big fights domestically, you speak about Anthony Yarde, Callum Smith, you look at those, and you can't forget Dan Azeez, you can't forget Lyndon Arthur. But he's got to be looking at world-class fighters to stay on track to get the goal he's chasing.
Every division has its time. You've got to have a dancing partner. There are so many in the light heavyweight division both domestically and worldwide which would make for so many outstanding fights. We've named a few, Smith, Yarde and you can go on.
It's great because because there's always debate and conversation. Buatsi is not going to let people forget him. His message should be, 'This is who I am, this is why at one minute you were shouting from the roof tops about me'.
Unfortunately his career has not progressed how he would want it to have progressed at this stage. He should be past this stage but because of inconsistency it's why he is here now. But I love what he's shown in terms of commitment in his career, in regards to taking care of his own business.
Watch Joshua Buatsi vs Pawel Stepien on Sky Sports Action or Sky Showcase from 7pm on Saturday May 6.
