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Richardson Hitchins to vacate IBF super lightweight title after Zuffa Boxing signing
TL;DR
Richardson Hitchins is vacating his IBF super lightweight title after one defense to move up to the welterweight division. His manager believes Hitchins will excel at 147 pounds and compete for a world title within the next year.
Key points
- Richardson Hitchins vacates IBF super lightweight title
- Hitchins has only made one title defense
- He is moving up to the welterweight division
- Manager believes he will be stronger at 147 pounds
- Hitchins aims to fight for a world title in the next year
Mentioned in this story
IBF
Zuffa BoxingRichardson HitchinsGeorge KambososLiam Paro
Richardson Hitchins' time as a world champion is over after just a single defense.
Hitchins confirmed Monday that he will be vacating his IBF super lightweight championship and moving up to the welterweight division.
Hitchins' manager Keith Connolly told Ring Magazine:
"It was a tough decision for Hitchins, but he's outgrown the weight class. He's been fighting at 140 [pounds] since he was 16 as an amateur.
"Hitchins is an elite fighter, and I truly believe he will be even better and stronger at welterweight and that he will be fighting for a world title at 147 [pounds] in the next 12 months."
The Brooklyn-born fighter claimed world honors in December 2024 in Puerto Rico after winning a unanimous decision over Liam Paro. Hitchins made his lone title defense by stopping the former unified lightweight champion, George Kambosos, with a body shot in Round 8 this past June.
The bout against Kambosos marked Hitchins’ final fight with Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing. He was scheduled to face Oscar Duarte in February on the Ryan Garcia vs. Mario Barrios undercard, but withdrew from the contest on fight day due to illness.
A fight between Hitchins and Duarte could not be rescheduled because the IBF decided to order Hitchins to take on his mandatory, Lindolfo Delgado, next. Purse bids for Hitchins vs. Delgado were scheduled for Tuesday but will now no longer take place.
Fittingly, Hitchins' decision to vacate his championship allows Duarte to face Delgado for the relinquished IBF championship, however that matchup arrives with its own set of problems — namely, the role of Robert Garcia, who trains both Delgado and Duarte.
Hitchins recently became the second world champion to sign with Dana White's Zuffa Boxing after Jai Opetaia. Ironically, both champions who signed with Zuffa — the promoter that originally said it would not recognize the sanctioning bodies, but has since seemingly backtracked on that — are no longer world champions.
Q&A
Why is Richardson Hitchins vacating his IBF super lightweight title?
Richardson Hitchins is vacating his title because he has outgrown the 140-pound weight class and is moving up to the welterweight division.
What did Richardson Hitchins achieve in his boxing career before vacating the title?
Before vacating the title, Richardson Hitchins won the IBF super lightweight championship in December 2024 and successfully defended it once against George Kambosos.
What are the expectations for Richardson Hitchins in the welterweight division?
Hitchins is expected to become an even stronger fighter at welterweight and is anticipated to compete for a world title at 147 pounds within the next 12 months.
