Light heavyweight contender Joshua Buatsi would embrace the scenario of fighting the winner of the upcoming showdown between WBC, WBO, IBF champion Artur Beterbiev and mandatory challenger Callum Smith.
Buatsi is back on Saturday night, when he faces top rated Pawel Stepien.
Beterbiev vs. Smith is still without a finalized date or location. Top Rank, who co-promote Beterbiev, recently outbid Matchroom to secure the promotional fights to the fight.
A shot at the Beterbiev-Smith winner would give Buatsi the opportunity to capture a lot of gold.
“It gives me a shot at three belts,” Buatsi told Sky Sports. “If people are not clear about it, if it’s offered to me, I’m not going to turn it down.
“[Beterbiev-Smith will] be a good fight. It might be a good time for Smith to take such a fight. But you can never override Beterbiev. That’s a long reigning champion for a reason. Not by chance, not by anything.”
Should Beterbiev win, Buatsi is not intimidated by his power.
“I think there’s things he does well as a champion but I also bet on myself and say there’s things that I do well as a fighter. But let me get in the ring and show something,” Buatsi said.
“I can give an all-time great speech,” he continued. “It’s easier to talk right now and say, ‘Oh I’ll do this, I’ll do that.’ It’ll be a very, very tough fight.”
Buatsi is trained by Virgil Hunter, who is best known for his work with retired world champions like Andre Ward and Amir Khan.
The British Olympian is very satisfied with the ongoing working relationship with Hunter.
“We have goals to be a world champion and he knows what it takes because he’s been there before. He’s taken many fighters there before so I trust what he’s telling me to get me there,” Buatsi explained.
“It has been [eye opening]. Just his experience and his view on life as well in general. When he talks it’s like a father figure speaking to you. So I listen and I listen to a man that’s obviously been through a lot and has got a lot of experience.”
Credit: BoxingScene