Queensberry Signs Joshua Buatsi: Can Frank Warren Revive the Former Olympian’s Fading Career?

Queensberry has signed light heavyweight contender Joshua Buatsi to their stable. The former WBO interim 175-lb champion and 2016 Olympian Buatsi’s fights will now be shown live on DAZN.

Buatsi’s Performance Concerns

Queensberry promoter, Frank Warren, has high hopes for the 32-year-old Buatsi, despite his poor performances in his last two fights against Callum Smith and Willy Hutchinson. Buatsi got outgunned in both fights, but got lucky with a win over Hutchinson.

Warren has the idea of potentially matching Buatsi against the winner of the David Benavidez vs. Anthony Yarde fight on November 22nd for the WBC light heavyweight title, or the victor of the Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev trilogy. It’s unlikely that Buatsi will get a shot against either of those fights.

Joshua Buatsi’s Popularity Problem

The problem is, Buatsi has never been a popular fighter, and he’s had issues in his last two fights. He’s not considered a must-have type of opponent for Benavidez or Bivol to want to fight. Buatsi is seen as a regular run-of-the-mill British domestic-level fighter. There’s nothing special about him. Surprisingly, Warren chose to sign him after his horrendous loss to Callum Smith. He looked ready for the scrap pile after that fight.

Boosting Buatsi’s Profile

Warren needs to put Buatsi through a gauntlet of predatory sharks at 175 for him to get fans interested in him being used for a world title shot. Fighting guys like Craig Richards, Hutchins, Smith, and Dan Azeez aren’t enough. Buatsi needs to fight the talented younger fighters like David Morrell and Imam Khataev.

If he can’t get them, Warren needs to lure some of the super middleweights like Osley Iglesias, Diego Pacheco, or Christian Mbilli up to 175 to fight Buatsi. I can’t see him beating any of those super middleweights, but these are the types of fighters he needs to fight to become more popular.

“After speaking with multiple promoters, Queensberry has a plan I’m comfortable with. I’m a British fighter, and the support I get from UK fans means everything,” said Joshua Buatsi.

“There’s nothing like fighting in front of a home crowd – the energy, the passion, it drives me. With Queensberry, I’ve got a team that understands that and backs me properly here in the UK.”