WILLY HUTCHINSON faces a tricky test in Glasgow on Saturday night against Mark Jeffers – a fight he knows cannot be taken lightly – but beyond it lies something he badly wants to put right.
To understand why, we rewind to the summer of 2024. Hutchinson, sat in his car in a supermarket car park speaking to Boxing News over Zoom, was buzzing. He had just revived his career with a career-best win over Craig Richards and was brimming with confidence ahead of a meeting with Joshua Buatsi.
Buatsi, the Olympic medallist long considered world class, had yet to fight for a world title. Hutchinson, never shy, believed he would have his number despite being the less experienced man.
“He’s a good strong operator but he’s not good enough to beat me,” Hutchinson said at the time.
The build-up was livelier than most Buatsi occasions thanks to Hutchinson’s needle, and at times he succeeded in unsettling his rival. But under the Wembley Stadium lights Buatsi prevailed by split decision, dropping Hutchinson twice along the way. A generous scorecard or not, Hutchinson simply wasn’t good enough that night.
That was 11 months ago. Now, the Carstairs-born Scot returns to fight at home for the first time in seven years. The trademark patter is back, the mischievous energy restored – but so too is the awareness that, after long spells of inactivity, he must accelerate his career. A rematch with new Queensberry stablemate Buatsi is firmly in his sights.
“My focus is on Mark [Jeffers], but once I’ve done what I’ve got to do, 100% I want to rematch Buatsi next,” he told BN. “But if it doesn’t come and someone else comes along, then it is what it is. But in my dreams, if that could happen, it would be good for me. I’d like to put that right, definitely.”
Asked what went wrong against Buatsi, the 27-year-old kept it short. “It wasn’t my night, was it? It was just one of those things.”
Earlier this year Hutchinson, 18-2 (13 KOs), linked up with Shane McGuigan, announcing it on Instagram in April: “This is going to be special. I’m now being trained by Shane McGuigan… Buckle up, this is going to be a frightening combination.”
That partnership has since ended, and Hutchinson has instead reunited with Mirko Wolf, moving back to Spain for camp.
“Nothing happened,” he said of the split. “I just wasn’t feeling right. And I had to come back to my roots. If I’m going to do this boxing game, I’m at least going to be happy. Boxing’s too hard if you’re not.”
By his own admission Hutchinson is “extreme.” Whether it’s eating, training, or reflecting, he does everything to the limit.
“Whatever I do, I do it all or nothing. If I eat food, I eat till I’m in pain. If I want to train hard, I train hard until I can’t train the next day.
“I’ve had time for myself. Time to reflect. And I believe it’s all in the right path to doing what I’ve got to do on the 4th of October.”
The Hutchinson of 2024, he believes, was immature.
“When I think about it, I was like a kid last year. I was trying to take over the world as a kid. Now I believe I’m more mature, I’m a man.”
Jeffers, his opponent, is dangerous. The Chorley man, once tipped by some ahead of Callum Simpson as Britain’s best super-middleweight hope, saw a planned fight with Osleys Iglesias fall through before losing to Sean Hemphill in June. Hutchinson knows he cannot overlook him.
“I’m expecting the trickiest Mark Jeffers and I cannot wait to get back in front of a Scottish crowd and perform. I’m coming back home to Lanarkshire. Back home to the boys. Can’t wait. Cannot wait. Looking forward to it. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. I’m looking forward to getting in the ring, putting a masterclass on. Push on with my career. I’ve wasted enough time. I’m ready to become world champion.”
Hutchinson remains in the WBC top 10, meaning a title shot is within reach. The names above him include Buatsi, Anthony Yarde, David Morrell, Artur Beterbiev and champion David Benavidez. Promoter Frank Warren has significant influence in the division – something Hutchinson hopes could lead to a domestic tournament.
“I think we should have a tournament of all that was in it. It would be good,” he said.
Becoming world champion would not be a dream realised so much as a childhood prophecy fulfilled. At 13, in his father’s van in Sweden, Hutchinson scrawled his boxing ambitions into a notebook. On one page: Scottish, British, European and world amateur champion. On the other, in bubble letters: WBC world champion.
“I’ve still got the same book to this day,” he smiles.
What would he write in it now?
“Thank you, because that’s what got me to where I’m at already. That stupid story is a massive part of my life.”
Titles and riches aside, what matters most is that Hutchinson insists he has found happiness – something many chase for a lifetime without success.
“This happiness is within me – Willy Hutchinson. I’m very, very hard on myself. Don’t forgive myself a lot. And I’m working on that every day and I’m getting better and better. And I’m still battling. But I’m happy because I’ve had the right people around me and I’m helping myself.”
Long may that continue.
