Promoter Eddie Hearn has named Ryan Garcia, Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney as targets for new IBF light welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins (20-0, 7 KOs) to fight next after his 12-round split decision victory over unbeaten champion Liam Paro (25). -1, 15 KOs) on Saturday night at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Paro fought in a Madrimov-esque style, using feints and upper body movement to try and fool Hitchins. This style was effective for the first four rounds, but after Hitchins decoded it, it became one-sided by the fifth.
Calling the Stars
The chances of Ryan, Teofimo and Haney agreeing to fight Hitchins are slim, and none. Those guys didn’t want to fight a talent like Hitchins and be outboxed the same way he did against Paro. It is not realistic.
Hitchins easily outboxed Paro, taking a close fight through four and dominating the final eight rounds. Hear said after the fight that he saw it as an 8-4 or 7-5 win for Hitchins.
Scores
116-112: Hitchins
117-111: Paro
116-112: Hitchins
Unless His Excellency Turki Alalshikh is involved in getting Haney, Teofimo, or Ryan to fight Hitchins, he’ll have to be content defending his IBF 140-lb title against a lesser name in the division because those guys didn’t agree . fight him
Paro vs Hitchins Punch Stats
– Richardson Hitchins: 15 of 408 punches for a 28% connection rate.
– Liam Paro: 113 of 490 for 23%
“Yeah, why not? I don’t think you can base your career around Ryan Garcia at the moment, but he’s a great fight, he’s a great name, and he’s a great fighter,” Eddie Hearn told the media after the win by Richardson Hitchins on Liam Paro last. saturday evening
“So, Ryan Garcia, Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney,” Hearn continued about the fighters he’d like to face Hitchins next. “There are some guys at 135 who will eventually move up. You’re talking about Liam potentially fighting (George) Kambosos. Why not Richardson against Cambosos? They’ve got their beef too. Jack Catterall. We’ve got a lot of guys (at Matchroom) who can fight Hitchins ).Subriel Matias, yes, of course.
Of the names Hearn mentioned above, former IBF champion Subriel Matias, the boogeyman of the 140-lb division, is the most likely he can get for Hitchins. He will not want to sacrifice British fighter Jack Catterall because he is angling to challenge WBO champion Teofimo Lopez for his belt. Catterall would be food for Hitchins.
Tactical battle
“I thought he was one of the trickiest guys I’ve fought. The bouncing and the European style,” Hitchins said of Paro. “When I got in the ring, I was like, ‘Oh, shit. This is like being back overseas. I’m glad I had the amateur experience to see guys like that.
“So, he knew a lot of things to do. I was like (Israel) Madrimov and Terence Crawford with the jump and the feint. It was a lot of feint and a lot of subtle things that he did there. So, I think he was one of the trickiest guys that “I struggled,” Hitchins said of Paro.
It appeared that Paro studied the style of former WBA 154-lb champion Israil Madrimov and used this approach for his fight against Hitchins. Paro would have been more successful if he had used the Gustavo Lemos method of all-out attacks. It’s strange that Paro didn’t follow Lemos’ plan and instead tried to outbox Hitchins. Using this approach, he gave himself every chance to win.
Interestingly, Hearn didn’t seem too happy after the fight, which suggests he had hoped Paro would win. Ahead of the Paro-Hitchins fight last Saturday, Hearn talked about potentially matching Paro against Kambosos in a big contest in Australia. This fight is no longer possible after last night.
