SATURDAY night had been billed by Queensberry as a showcase for Britain’s leading light-heavyweights.
What unfolded instead was an evening that will be remembered for a series of bewildering scorecards across a triple-header that once again reminded fans how boxing continues to shoot itself in the foot.
Joshua Buatsi vs Zach Parker, Bradley Rea vs Lyndon Arthur, and Liam Cameron vs Troy Jones all produced winners — but each result came with its own degree of controversy.
Buatsi, 32, will feel like a fortunate man after scraping past Parker in what was arguably the worst performance of his career. His display — flat, hesitant, and lacking the authority expected of a fighter of his calibre — may well have the vultures circling.
His debut under the Queensberry banner was meant to signal a fresh start after his defeat to Callum Smith. Instead, it has raised new questions about his world-title credentials. The main event will not be remembered for its spectacle but for the judges’ scorecards, which handed Buatsi a majority-decision victory that left many scratching their heads.
With the dust now settling, there remains a number of possiblities for Buatsi, who will be eager to return in far more convincing fashion next time out. Boxing News looks at some of the options that could await the Olympic medallist in 2026.
Willy Hutchinson (19-2, 14 KOs)
The lively Scot made it clear to Boxing News recently that he wants a rematch with Buatsi following their meeting in September 2024, which the Londoner deservedly won. Hutchinson, however, found himself a new rival on Saturday night when he clashed ringside with rising prospect Ezra Taylor.
During the main event broadcast, Hutchinson told Dev Sahni he had no interest in watching Buatsi-Parker and was heading home — though not before trading words with Taylor. With both men now fighting under the same promotional banner, Buatsi-Hutchinson II remains a possibility, but the one-sided nature of their first encounter makes a rematch a hard sell.
David Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) or Anthony Yarde (27-3, 24 KOs)
Benavidez and Yarde are set to meet on November 22 in Riyadh, with the Mexican defending his WBC light-heavyweight title. Should Benavidez win, his next target will likely be unified champion Dmitry Bivol or former undisputed king Artur Beterbiev.
But if Yarde pulls off a stunning victory, it would immediately thrust his old rival Buatsi back into the conversation. Win or lose, Yarde vs Buatsi feels like an inevitable matchup for Queensberry in 2026 — a domestic showdown with genuine needle and commercial appeal.
Oleksandr Gvozdyk (21-2, 17 KOs)
While Buatsi still has world-title ambitions, nothing is guaranteed. Should a bout with Benavidez or Bivol fail to materialise early in 2026, he may need a meaningful interim opponent to stay active.
Zach Parker will rightly call for a rematch, and there’s certainly a case for it after Saturday’s controversy. But Buatsi may prefer a fighter with global standing — someone who has shared a ring with Benavidez and Beterbiev, and who would bring a different stylistic challenge.
Step forward Oleksandr Gvozdyk. The experienced Ukrainian would represent a dangerous test and, crucially, one less elusive than Parker. A win would restore Buatsi’s credibility and keep him firmly in the world-title picture.
