As he prepares to make the first defence of his IBF junior-welterweight title, the world’s still waiting to see how good Richardson Hitchins really is.
Those in the New York area are aware he’s the consummate gym rat – one nurtured in the gyms of the Teddy Atlas Foundation – and have been monitoring his progress since childhood. He’s shown plenty of talent – he’s got a great jab – but, at the highest level, he remains unproven.
He looked good in victory over Liam Paro in December and became a major player at 140lbs, but he’ll need more than victory over a fighter of the calibre of Paro before he’s proved himself beyond doubt.
George Kambosos Jnr – Paro’s fellow Australian, and Hitchins’ first challenger – also isn’t that calibre of fighter. What he is is a decent name and a suitable opponent for a first title defence.
Hitchins’ greatest strength is his awareness of his identity as a fighter. He knows he’s a boxer; he knows he’s a jabber; he knows he’s not going to try to fight on the inside or knock opponents out. The more disciplined he is – and of focusing on going 12 rounds and remaining sharp throughout – the more capable he is of testing anyone he’s matched with.
Matchroom promote both fighters. They may have ambitions in Australia, but they’ve had ambitions in America for even longer, and they will recognise that Hitchins’ potential – which may mean he comes to be seen as the number one at 140lbs – surpasses that of Kambosos Jnr.
Kambosos Jnr, ultimately, is still living off of the best win of his career, in 2021 over Teofimo Lopez. Without question that was a fantastic win – the best he will ever record – and one that has earned him millions since then, but that was the last time he looked good, and it came after a period in which he also rarely particularly impressed. Since defeating Lopez he’s twice lost convincingly to Devin Haney, been awarded victory over Maxi Hughes on an evening Hughes definitely deserved the decision, been stopped by Vasiliy Lomachenko, and outpointed the little-known Jake Wyllie, who stepped up to fight him at late notice. The combination of what that win over Lopez did for his reputation and the fact that he was once the undisputed champion at 135lbs means that, increasingly, Kambosos Jnr represents low hanging fruit.
He’s tough, durable, tenacious, and doesn’t give up when fights get one-sided. For all of his technical limitations, he’s always in great shape, and he walks to the ring believing he will win. But his attack lacks deception, his defence is inconsistent, he lacks powers, and at 140lbs he’s small. At 135lbs, he was rugged and had some physical advantages, but at 140lbs – where Hitchins is very big – those advantages have been sacrificed. The only advantage he will have in the ring on Saturday night over Hitchins is experience.
If he loses convincingly on Saturday, it’s difficult to see how Kambosos Jnr can come back again, unless he’s content to become an opponent for those on the way up. Hitchins is patient, and his ability to control the space and pace of a fight – and willingness to remain behind his jab throughout – makes him the last nature of opponent Kambosos Jnr needs to share the ring with, even though Hitchins perhaps also lacks power, and physical strength.
There’s little reason to believe this won’t resemble both of Kambosos Jnr’s one-sided defeats by Haney. Kambosos Jnr has also since reached 32 years old, and in Hitchins is fighting a taller opponent than Haney, and one more comfortable making 140lbs than Haney was making 135lbs.
If he is to stand any chance of victory, Kambosos Jnr has to find a way past Hitchins’ jab and then seize on the opportunities that exist if he does. He’s also relying on Hitchins struggling under pressure if he does so – Hitchins may actually instead prove capable of adjusting and of being resilient.
The 27-year-old Hitchins is such a favourite that unless he, like Lomachenko, stops Kambosos Jnr, and does so memorably, a victory on Saturday is likely to be largely overlooked. Even though he beat Paro, who defeated Subriel Matias, Matias’ reputation is the type of reputation Hitchins should be targeting afterwards if building his profile is what he seeks.
At lightweight, in what represents the chief support to Hitchins-Kambosos Jnr, Andy Cruz and Hironori Mishiro fight in a final eliminator for the IBF lightweight title held by Raymond Muratalla. I’ve been monitoring Cruz’s rapid development and I’ve therefore become a big admirer.
I don’t expect the very skilful Cruz to lose until he fights one of the top fighters in his division, and Mishiro isn’t one of those, so Cruz is also a convincing favourite on Saturday. A future contest between he and Muratalla would then be very appealing.
In addition to Keyshawn Davis moving up to 140lbs and Abdullah Mason getting a title shot, Lomachenko’s retirement means the lightweight picture is changing again. Lomachenko, at the very least, is a modern great. But once his amateur achievements are taken into account he becomes an all-time great.
Those suggesting he was overrated couldn’t be more wrong. He won a title in only his third fight – and by outclassing Gary Russell Jnr. He also repeatedly sought and entered the toughest fights – including against Nicholas Walters, one of the many world-class fighters he convincingly beat.