Twelve rounds later, he had something even more valuable – a world championship.

Hutchinson secured a unanimous decision over Olympic medalist Joshua Buatsi at Manchester's AO Arena to capture the vacant WBC light heavyweight title.

The official scores were 117-112 and 115-113 twice.

For Hutchinson, the victory represented a remarkable turnaround from their first encounter in September 2024, when Buatsi dropped him twice and secured a split decision after twelve difficult rounds.

This time, the roles were reversed. Hutchinson was faster, sharper and considerably more composed. He used his movement to frustrate Buatsi, consistently found openings with his jab and landed the cleaner punches during the first half of the contest.

By the halfway point, Hutchinson was in full control and well up on the cards. Buatsi attempted to increase the pressure in the later rounds, finding occasional success with his body attacks, but Hutchinson had already established a lead that proved too difficult to overcome.

There were moments when Buatsi appeared capable of changing the momentum, particularly during the championship rounds, but Hutchinson refused to allow the fight to slip away.

At 28 years old, the Scottish fighter improved to 21-2 with 14 knockouts and secured the biggest victory of his career. More importantly, he finally fulfilled the potential that many believed he possessed when he entered the professional ranks.

And Hutchinson suddenly finds himself with several attractive options.

The most obvious is Anthony Yarde.

The former world title challenger was ringside for Saturday's contest and entered the ring afterward, where Hutchinson made it clear that he wanted the fight.

A fight with Yarde would also be an attractive event for British boxing. Yarde remains one of the most recognizable names in British boxing, has shared the ring with elite opposition and possesses the type of punching power that makes him dangerous against virtually anyone in the division.

He has challenged for world titles against Sergey Kovalev, Artur Beterbiev and David Benavidez, coming up short on each occasion.

At this stage of his career, another opportunity to capture a championship would be particularly significant. Yarde has been out of the ring since getting stopped by Benavidez a year ago. Hutchinson would likely become a final bite at the world title apple.

For Hutchinson, a victory over Yarde would strengthen his position as one of the leading fighters at 175 pounds and provide another recognizable name on his record.

There is also the possibility of staging the contest in Scotland, where Hutchinson could capitalize on the momentum surrounding his championship victory.

However, Yarde would represent a dangerous first defense. He is physically strong, experienced and capable of ending a fight with a single punch. Hutchinson has shown vulnerability against sustained pressure in the past, particularly when opponents attack his body. Yarde would undoubtedly attempt to exploit those weaknesses. Still, it is the type of challenge that Hutchinson should seriously consider.

Another intriguing possibility is Ben Whittaker.

The undefeated British contender has been generating considerable attention with his flashy style, technical ability and growing popularity.

Whittaker recently secured a decision over Conor Wallace in an IBF final eliminator, moving himself closer to a world championship opportunity.

A showdown between Hutchinson and Whittaker would be an attractive domestic matchup, particularly given their contrasting personalities and fighting styles. Hutchinson is aggressive, emotional and increasingly confident in his abilities. Whittaker is a showman who thrives on frustrating opponents and making them miss.

There is a strong argument that Whittaker should look to Hutchinson, instead of pursuing the IBF championship opportunity - which would come against a heavily favored Dmitry Bivol, who is widely recognized as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in boxing.

And Hutchinson, having just captured his first world title, might be better served by securing a lucrative defense against an established name before entertaining another ambitious young contender.

Then there is the biggest prize of all.

Undisputed.

Bivol and Callum Smith are scheduled to collide on December 12, with the Ring, WBA, WBO and IBF light heavyweight championships at stake.

The winner would become an obvious target for Hutchinson, who now holds the remaining major championship.

Suddenly, Hutchinson is one fight away from potentially becoming the undisputed light heavyweight champion.

But there is a significant difference between wanting an undisputed championship and being ready to compete against the best fighters in the division. Bivol is one of the most technically accomplished boxers in the sport, with exceptional movement, defensive awareness and an ability to control fights against elite opposition.

Smith, while a massive underdog in the upcoming fight, brings size, experience and dangerous punching power, having already established himself as a world champion in a previous weight division. He also holds a win over Buatsi.

Either matchup would represent a considerable step up for Hutchinson. That doesn't mean he should avoid those opportunities. It simply means there is no reason to rush into them.

Hutchinson has only just arrived at the top of the division. He has time to build his profile, gain further experience in championship fights and maximize the financial opportunities that come with holding a world title.

There is also the question of whether he can consistently reproduce the performance he delivered against Buatsi.

The talent has never been in doubt. Consistency has been another matter.

Earlier in his career, Hutchinson occasionally allowed his emotions to dictate the direction of his fights. He was willing to exchange when boxing would have been the smarter option, and those decisions sometimes placed him in unnecessary danger.

Against Buatsi, he demonstrated greater maturity. He controlled the distance, avoided prolonged exchanges and fought with the discipline required to win at the highest level. That development might ultimately prove more important than the championship belt itself.

Because if Hutchinson can continue fighting with that level of composure, he becomes a difficult opponent for anyone at light heavyweight.

For now, Yarde appears to be the most logical next step. He needs to make sure that Saturday's victory becomes the beginning of something bigger, rather than the defining moment of his career.