Joshua Buatsi continued his march towards a world title with a stunning 11th round win over Ricards Bolotniks. Last year’s Golden Contract winner represented the biggest test of Buatsi’s career, but the Croydon man passed the test impressively as he maintained his unbeaten record.
After taking control in the fight’s early rounds, Buatsi looked set for an early night in the sixth session when he dropped Bolotniks with a heavy left hook. Wasting his energy trying to close the show, Buatsi let his opponent back into the fight as he endured the toughest rounds of his career.
The Latvian hard man was relentless for portions of the fight’s second half and those responsible for Buatsi’s progress will be satisfied with how their man coped with the brief onslaught. Bolotniks refused to wilt and his aggressive style gave Buatsi plenty to think about.
With the fight appearing to be headed to the scorecards, Buatsi found the perfect shot to end the fight. A well-timed right hand dropped Bolotniks in the corner and it was enough to force Howard Foster to stop the fight. Buatsi can now look towards bigger challenges as closes in on the world’s leading light-heavyweights.
For a recap on all the action from tonight's show, please read below.