The vacant WBC 175-pound title will be on the line when Hutchinson (20-2, 14 KOs) and Buatsi (20-1, 13 KOs) fight at Manchester’s AO Arena, live on DAZN.

The two first fought in September 2024. Buatsi dropped Hutchinson twice and thoroughly deserved the majority decision after 12 taxing rounds.

Hutchinson has never been shy about talking up his chances but there seems to be a genuine belief to the Scotsman’s words as he prepares to test himself at world level again.

If the Willy Hutchinson of October 2026 boxed the man who lost to Buatsi over two years ago, how would he fair?

“He’d stand him on his head,” Hutchinson told The Ring. “Life and growing up, I suppose. Consistency and patience, basically. A lot of patience.

“I've been happy within myself because 95 percent of the fight is all in the brain and, to me right now, it's already won.”

Hutchinson is often described as a chaotic and unpredictable but he's always at his best when happy outside the ring.

Settled with his friend and coach, Mirko Wolf, after a short stint with Shane McGuigan, and fully fit after a shoulder injury, Hutchinson cut an extremely confident character before his March 28 fight with Ezra Taylor. He carried himself with the certainty he would have far too much ability for the dangerous but less experienced man, before boxing in the same manner and outclassing Taylor over 10 rounds.

Hutchinson has firsthand experience of just how difficult it will be to beat Buatsi but he is approaching the fight in the same way he approached Taylor.

“I'm the same now as I was for that one. 100% the same,” he said. He's a bit better than Ezra but if you look at Ezra, I didn't hold my hands up once. I boxed southpaw for near enough the whole fight.

“I was singing in the ring with him. That's no disrespect to him, it's just I believe I'm better than these men all day long.”