Olympic bronze medal winner Joshua Buatsi is not bothered by the recent statements from light heavyweight rival Anthony Yarde.
The 30-year old Buatsi is scheduled to collide with fellow unbeaten Dan Azeez on Saturday, October 21, in a WBA world title eliminator. The winner will be in line for a world title shot at WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol.
Yarde, who is gunning for a future fight with Buatsi, has promised to knock his countryman out when they step in the ring.
Buatsi has heard these threats before.
“He’s been saying that for years”, said Buatsi to Sky Sports. “Please write everything I’m saying here, but specifically put this in bold – I don’t care about Yarde now. Right now, it’s Dan Azeez.”
While his full focus is currently on the upcoming clash with Azeez, Buatsi openly admits that Yarde is indeed a potential future opponent.
“Is he a potential opponent? Of course – if someone is light heavyweight, they’re a potential opponent,” said Buatsi.
“But he boxed some random geezer the other day, and now he’s back on his high horse – come on man! I said it before – he talks rubbish man, and that’s all I can say about it. But if that fight happens, let’s see – I’m down with it. If that’s what he’s saying, cool.”
Azeez, if he pulls off the upset, is also open to the possibility of facing Yarde in the future.
“By the time my career is done, I want to have fought all my peers,” said Azeez. “Josh is one of them, so regardless of when it happens, I would have liked it to happen in the future anyway.
“I’ll fight anyone but at the moment I don’t give a toss about Yarde. Again, he’s a peer, so I’m open to fighting him.”