World-rated light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi 14-0 (12) scored a brutal fourth-round knockout of Frenchman Daniel Blenda Dos Santos 15-1 (8) at the AO Arena in Manchester, England on Saturday night.
The 28-year-old Ghana-born Londoner was dominant from the get-go, sending Dos Santos to the canvas in the second round and again in the fourth frame with a pair of crushing right hands to force the stoppage at the 2:44 mark.
The 2016 Olympic bronze medallist, who is ranked in the top 10 by all four major sanctioning bodies, was having his first fight under new trainer Virgil Hunter who famously trained Andre Ward to world championships in two separate weight classes.
“I do hope he’s safe and healthy,” said Buatsi in his post-fight interview. “We’ve seen unknown opponents come and they’ve beaten guys, so I took him very serious.
“He was awkward for a few rounds, but I landed the right punch at the right time. I learned on the job, figured him out on the job and I’m happy that I got the win.
“But most importantly I do hope he’s okay.”
Dos Santos broke down in tears after the loss and was consoled by his conqueror.
“Dos Santos fell very, very heavily,” said BBC boxing correspondent Mike Costello. “That was a punishing finish. Dos Santos is not so much crying but sobbing. There is agony in his face after the first defeat of his career.”
BBC Radio 5 Live boxing analyst Steve Bunce added: “Buatsi needed something nasty. It might sound cold but that is the business we are in. It was the message he had to send, not just to the top three or four Brits but to the other light heavyweights out there.
“There are an awful lot of good, tough light heavyweights, who will give him the rounds he now needs. At 28 and five years after the Olympics, it’s time to take a risk.”
Hunter said his plan was to continue to develop Buatsi and have him ready for a world title tilt by the middle of next year.
Buatsi fought just once last year, a seventh-round knockout victory over Croatian Marko Calic 11-1 (6) in Milton Keynes in October. That fight came after a 14-month layoff.
Promoter Eddie Hearn wants to see Buatsi back in the ring quickly and would like to see him fighting again in July in another step up in class.
“What we must do is capitalise on the ability to gain momentum in Buatsi’s career,” the Matchroom Boxing boss said.
“The next one has to be a step up. We need to find that next level, but we must keep momentum. He has been out of the ring for seven months and has a new trainer, so that was a big box ticked.”
