FIGHTING FOR LONDON PRIDE

Buatsi admits there is more than a world title dream on the line against Richards... there’s his capital rep and local bragging rights

JOSHUA BUATSI admits his reputation is on the line in tonight’s South London derby with Craig Richards.

Buatsi (above), who won Olympic bronze in 2016, grew up near Richards and says local pride as well as a world title shot is on the line at the O2.

He is trained by Virgil Hunter in Oakland and has told his team he would never live it down in his native Croydon if he lost. “The moment this fight was announced, I knew I had to take it seriously,” said the unbeaten fighter.

“I went back to the gym and said ‘Guys, we’ve got to take this seriously and take these sessions to another level. You guys don’t live in London, I do and this is a big London fight. My reputation is on the line.’

“Everyone is on board that this is a big London fight and I’ve put everything into this camp.

“A few people I’ve chatted to have said this is the battle of South London.

“It feels like a derby, like when two London teams play each other.” Buatsi claims he does not remember beating Richards, who lost to WBA Super champ Dmitry Bivol in May, in the 2014 South East ABA finals and dismissed his claims he was too raw.

“I don’t remember it all,” said Buatsi, who is managed by Anthony Joshua. “All I remember is that I won.

“He had been boxing before me, so how can he say he was inexperienced?”

Buatsi is ranked in the top 10 by the four main governing bodies and wants his next fight to be for a world title. Matchroom

are billing the contest as a WBA title eliminator and Buatsi said: “I’ve no problem fighting these guys, just let me know a title shot is next.

“Don’t be letting me have this fight and that fight and not have a plan. Who is next? Definitely, the stage I’m at now, I’d like to think a world title fight is next.”

Richards, from Crystal Palace, claims that loss in 2014 was a turning point in his career and aims to show Buatsi he is a different fighter.

“That was my first threethrees against the GB No.1!” he said. “I learnt from that and I pressed on. At the time, I was training at my amateur club and he was with GB.

“They were probably training three times a day and I was training three times a week.

“After that, I decided to go and train with professionals, six days a week, and that’s what made the difference, when I really put my head down after that fight.

“It’s a completely different ball game now. The playground is gone, we’ve got 12 rounds now.” BUATSI v RICHARDS is live on DAZN at 10pm.