Spider: I’ve got skills to leave Buatsi in spin

CRAIG RICHARDS plans to spin up something special for Joshua Buatsi in three week’s time and prove he’s Britain’s top light-heavyweight.

Fellow Londoner Buatsi, 29, is tipped for big things in the division and is ranked in the top five by three sanctioning bodies.

But 31-year-old Richards, who is ranked 15th with the WBC, reckons his points defeat by WBA Super

World light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol 12 months ago proved he can compete with the very best.

Richards (above), who faces Buatsi at London’s O2 Arena on May 21, said: “The best ‘Spider’ Richards beats Joshua Buatsi because I have the combined recipes to do it. Even at world-title level against the Super champion Bivol, I had more to bring.

“I maybe misjudged the rounds a bit. I could have gone through the gears more. But that was a year ago and I have improved a lot.

“I’m a growing fighter. Buatsi is tipped to be the big thing, but obviously I think I’m No.1.”