Joshua Buatsi and Craig Richards collide in battle of south London with world title ambition and local pride on the line

A fight deeply embedded in its local roots but with world title implications hits the O2 Arena on Saturday as Joshua Buatsi and Craig Richards lay their claims to be crowned the king of south east London.

Croydon’s Buatsi has aptly operated under the nickname ‘Just Business’, ruthlessly dispatching his 15 opponents to date in his charge to the top of the light-heavyweight division. There has been little time for emotive narratives so far but against Crystal Palace fighter Richards in an intense local derby setting, things are different.

‘It would be silly for me to say nothing is at stake,’ Buatsi said. ‘We are from the same areas. When you wake up the next day and you want to go into your local shop or something, you want to walk around with your head held eye knowing you put the work in and got the win. All of that matters. It is such an important fight.’

With Saturday’s fight serving as an eliminator for the WBA title currently held by Dmitry Bivol, both Buatsi and Richards are chasing world title glory. Their clash is one of the final steps along a journey that saw both cut their teeth at the same boxing club, South Norwood & Victory ABC as teenagers.

Buatsi, who arrived in the UK with his family at the age of nine from Ghana, grew up on the Shrublands estate in Addington while establishing himself as one of the country’s bright young prospects.

Richards, who grew up down the road in Lewisham and Penge, moved on before Buatsi had walked through the doors and developed his love for boxing at Lynn Athletic Boxing Club where he met amateur coach Terry Palmer, turning professional in 2015.

While never fighting out of the same gym, Buatsi and Richards have crossed paths plenty of times over the years, meeting as amateurs in