OLYMPIC bronze medallist Joshua Buatsi has completed his university degree, joined a training camp with GB Boxing and is considering his next move.
Before his heroics at Rio 2016 Buatsi had received no offers to turn professional. โZero, nil. N. I. L. So the tables have turned and itโs quite interesting. Leading to the Games, the other boys got the attention,โ he told us.
Now of course offers are coming in from all the major players. โItโs good stress,โ he says.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Boxing News, he continued, โIf I were to go pro, I donโt know who I would go with. What I do know is Iโm looking for a platform to show what I can do. They say Iโve got a fan friendly style, or a TV friendly style but I just want to box and entertain people.
โI understand that professional boxing, you have to win but itโs about entertaining people as well and itโs something that I would look to do myself. Because I know when I go to fights, I like watching fights but if itโs an exciting fight it always stands out. So I want to be that exciting fighter.โ
His unhurried, studious approach, should stand Buatsi in good stead. โCompleting the degree helps but the thing is I have to realise that itโs totally different from amateur boxing in terms of the business side of it. In amateur boxing, Great Britain does everything for me and I box. I fly, I fight, I win, end of. This is different. So as much as I think I know a little bit. I canโt make the mistake and think I know everything because I donโt. Iโve never been a professional before. I donโt know much about being professional boxer. I reason better and I ask a lot of questions because of education but I donโt try to go on like I know everything. Because I actually donโt, especially with this professional boxing stuff. Iโm trying to learn all the time,โ he said.
The landscape for professional boxing in the UK is changing. As well as Sky, BT Sport have moved into broadcasting the sport, joining forces with Frank Warren and BoxNation, plus terrestrial channels ITV and Channel 5 are now screening boxing. Even in amateur boxing, there are options to potentially stay with GB and compete in the World Series of Boxing.
โSince I came back from Rio Iโve been learning loads, itโs full on,โ Buatsi said. โSince I came back from Brazil all these TV [channels] theyโre looking to get back into boxing. Thereโs now other avenues into boxing. So itโs a lot more complex and a lot more complicated. Hopefully I just make the right decision, if I do go pro.
โWhat I can say is maybe another month, a month and a half itโll be clear what Iโll do. For example my contract expires in March.โ
When it comes to considering professional options, heโll also need to think about trainers to work with and so forth. โI havenโt be around pro gyms at all because I started boxing in a small gym [South Norwood & Victory] and only working with a few people and itโs worked for me so I donโt see the point in changing it. Iโm happy with my trainers, my club trainers that Iโve got. One thing I do think is that I need someone that knows a lot more about professional boxing,โ he said. โWeโll both be new to it, so I do think Iโll need that.โ
It may be a complex process but Buatsi likes the sound of the challenge. โNew things for me are quite exciting. Walking out for the Olympics I was nervous but excited. I didnโt know what it was going to be like,โ he said. โBoxing in the World Series, I lost my first fight in front of the whole of London… But it was exciting times. I wanted to do it. I was like do you know what, itโs the unexpected.โ
โGetting the Olympic medal changes everything, doesnโt it?โ he mused. โTo think that your life changes over three fights. Itโs not sad to think, itโs a good thing.โ
But he adds, โItโs not a lot of fightsโฆโ