Anthony Yarde has backed Craig Richards to upset Joshua Buatsi in London on Saturday.
Buatsi and Richards meet in an all-London, WBA light heavyweight world title eliminator at the O2 Arena, live on DAZN with Yarde a potential future foe for both men.
‘JB’ heads into the fight as a heavy favourite with the bookies, however Yarde, who stopped Lyndon Arthur in their rematch in December, believes it will be his former sparring partner, ‘Spider’ who comes out the victor.
“Craig’s going to beat him,” Yarde told The Unibet Lowdown.
“As soon as that fight got announced I raised my eyebrows and I said why?
“To me I just don’t understand why that fight is happening in Buatsi’s situation, I don’t understand why you would have that fight.
“I don’t know how that fight is going to play out, but I see Craig winning that fight.
“I know Craig, I used to spar Craig often and I just feel like it’s one of them fights where they’re looking for someone to fight.
“I just had a domestic fight, so they’re looking to probably have a good domestic dust-up as well.
“We’ll see what happens and I’m sure they’ve probably got a rematch clause in there as well.”
Olympic Bronze medalist, Buatsi extended his undefeated professional record with an 11th round stoppage over Ricards Bolotniks at Fight Camp last August.
Richards bounced back from a unanimous decision defeat to WBA light heavyweight champion, Dmitry Bivol by halting Marek Matyja in six rounds in October and Yarde believes the former world title challenger has the edge in defensive skill.
“I haven’t seen as much of Buatsi,” the 30-year-old added.
“But I used to spar Craig. I know Craig very well and Craig knows me very well as well so again there is respect for each other.
“I think Craig’s very rangy. When he does get his jab going he’s got a good jab and he’s got good footwork as well and he can take a punch.
“From what I’ve seen he’s not as easy to hit as Buatsi is.
“Buatsi’s tough, hard hitter, very tough, but from what I’ve seen he gets hit a lot easier than Craig does.”
Yarde’s revenge victory over Arthur ensured he returned to the number one position with the WBO behind world champion, Joe Smith Jr, who faces unified titlist, Artur Beterbiev in New York on June 18.
‘The Beast From The East’ was reportedly offered a fight with Buatsi, but turned it down given his position with the WBO.
The Hackney man in line for the winner of Beterbiev vs Smith Jr and a second crack at world honours after previously falling short in 2019 against then-WBO champion, Sergey Kovalev.
