---
title: "Joshua Buatsi Turns Down £1 Million Bivol Offer – Wants Dan Azeez Fight"
canonical: "https://boxing-social.com/news/joshua-buatsi-wants-azeez-not-bivol/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Danny Gilfillan"
section: "News"
published: "2023-03-10T19:31:13Z"
modified: "2023-03-10T19:31:13Z"
---

# Joshua Buatsi Turns Down £1 Million Bivol Offer – Wants Dan Azeez Fight

Eddie Hearn has shed some light on the future of Joshua Buatsi, and revealed the former Olympian turned down a whopping offer to fight Dmitry Bivol next.

Buatsi has been out of action since his [all British clash with fellow Londoner Craig Richards last year,](https://www.dazn.com/en-GB/news/boxing/joshua-buatsi-vs-craig-richards-live-updates-results-highlights/1dlrpybvlthz51qsbrgpnclgpg) and had been tipped for a shot at WBA light heavyweight champion Bivol at some point in 2023.

However, after news broke this week that Buatsi was now a promotional free agent, Hearn revealed to [ESBR Boxing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDJMsjmDOpY&t=461s) that the soon-to-be 30 year old turned down a seven figure offer to face the Russian, and instead was pursuing a fight with current British champion Dan Azeez.

> “He got made an offer, which we did match, and we’ll see what we do moving forward. We’ve offered him well over a million pounds to fight Dmitry Bivol – and he turned it down.”
>
> “That’s disappointing. We want him to fight Callum Smith or Bivol, but I think he wants to fight Dan Azeez.”
>
> “Josh is a great fighter, and we’ll see what his future holds. I believe he can win world titles.”
>
> “Once considered a blue chip prospect, inactivity has saw Buatsi’s career stall in recent times and it is soon approaching a full year since he has been in the ring.”

Bivol looks set for a money spinning rematch with pound for pound star Canelo Álvarez in September, however it remains unclear who he will face in the meantime.

[His second meeting with Canelo looks set to take place at 168lbs,](https://wp.boxing-social.com/news/eddie-hearn-on-canelo-bivol-rematch/) meaning Bivol will have the chance to add the Mexican’s undisputed super middleweight crown to the light heavyweight world title already in his possession.