Joshua Buatsi vs Pawel Stepien – Results & Post-Fight Report

Joshua Buatsi made his first appearance of the year, and went through the motions in a clear ten round points win against Pawel Stepien at Resorts World in Birmingham.

Buatsi was making his debut under the Boxxer umbrella, after ending his association with Matchroom, and he was coming off a tight points win against Craig Richards. Stepien also came in undefeated, and had seen a contest with Callum Smith cancelled at short notice in March.

Buatsi (17-0, KO13) began in patient fashion, keeping Stepien (18-1-1, KO12) at bay off the jab, and controlling the action in the first couple of rounds. Buatsi finally upped the tempo at the start of the fourth, landing with combinations, but was back to being patient and waiting for his openings pretty swiftly. Stepien was neat and today with his work, and was growing in confidence, enjoying a decent end to the fifth, but Buatsi stuck to his game plan, staying on top and in control. The pattern continued until the final bell, where the result was in little doubt.

Buatsi took victory by scores of 100-90, 98-92 and 97-94.

History was made on the bill, as Lauren Price (4-0, KO1) became the inaugural female British champion, as she took the vacant welterweight title with a landslide points win against Kirstie Bavington (7-4-2, KO2). Price was a step agead throughout, and won all ten rounds on all three judges scorecards.

Tyler Denny (17-2-3, KO0) took the vacant EBU External Middleweight title, edging the luckless Macaulay McGowan (17-4-2, KO3) via split decision over ten rounds. Two verdicts of 96-94 for Denny won the day, with McGowan’s 97-93 verdict ruled redundant.

In an absorbing battle, Sean McComb (16-1, KO5) retained his WBO European super lightweight title, as he took a unanimous decision win against Kaisee Benjamin (16-3-1, KO6) over ten rounds. In a give and take battle, the Northern Irishman got three winning verdicts of 97-94, 97-93 and 96-95.

Ben Whittaker (3-0, KO2) had his first outing of 2023, and it was a typically flashy performance from the Olympic Silver medallist, as he stopped Jordan Grant (6-4, KO0) in the third of their scheduled six at light heavyweight. Grant was dropped in round two, and a sweeping right hand in round three robbed him of his legs, and the referee waved the contest off as the towel came in.

Shakan Pitters (18-2, KO6) returned from defeat to Dan Azeez by outscoring Joel McIntyre (20-7, KO5) over eight at light heavyweight. Pitters won every round in an 80-72 success.

Jimmy First (14-2, KO4) upset Cori Gibbs (18-1, KO3) in their original meeting, which was a bizarre one, but Gibbs gained revenge by taking an eight round win this time via a 78-74 nod from the referee.

Danny Quartermaine (9-0, KO3) opened the show, and took a fourth and last round stoppage at lightweight against Christian Lopez Flores (14-25-2, KO12).