Buatsi’s so ready to be bright star

SUNDAY can’t come soon enough for Joshua Buatsi after Illness and Covid kept him out of the ring for more than a year – tough for a supernova in a hurry.

Buatsi takes on unbeaten Croat Marko Calic, who fought at heavyweight in the amateurs.

I’m always a little concerned when a guy drops down from 200 pounds, especially when they stand 6ft 3ins.

Weight management is arguably the most important issue in boxing. You have to be able to take a punch and hit with authority.

It’s about power to weight ratio and the capacity to punch from the first bell to last. For someone to campaign at 90 kilos then drop to 81k is a lot of weight to shift.

This could be about nothing but also a lot. Calic is clearly gambling on bringing heavyweight power to the light heavyweight division. After six KOS in 11 wins the jury is out.

We have seen quite a bit of Buatsi in our gym. He punches with either hand and has the rocksolid chin that comes as standard with boxers born in Ghana. But he needs to make small adjustments in style and technique as he moves on. There are times when he is too open.

Buatsi is so anxious to blow guys out he can be caught. I was the same. And the higher up the food chain you go guys make you miss and pay.

The chance to strike shrinks to a half-second window and you have to be in position to take it.

Buatsi’s strengths and flaws were obvious with experienced Marco Periban in June last year. He did the job in four – but not without reddening on the chops where he was caught.

Not everybody can make the transition to the next level. But you always go with pedigree. And the pedigree is with Olympic bronze medallist Buatsi.

He can switch your lights out with either hand. He is very exciting and very bright. And he thinks about the game and the world a lot.

He is six fights from that world-title shot. This is a good test against an elite fighter.

Follow Barry on Twitter at @ Clonescyclone @ Mcguigans_gym @ Cyclonepromo

Buatsi is six fights away from a title shot