Richardson Hitchins wants to continue his boxing rivalry with Oscar Duarte, albeit in the weight class he’s moving into — welterweight.
They even faced-off for a February fight; one that had a heated build-up with proper needle, and both men talking-up the chances of a knockout.
But, hours before fight night, Hitchins pulled out, citing illness, killing the IBF title fight after both had made weight.
Duarte questioned it, publicly. Others did too.
By April, Hitchins vacated the belt and moved to the 147-pounds division.
Duarte came so close to challenging for an official world title. But Hitchins’s withdrawal pushed him further back in line. Lindolfo Delgado will fight for the vacant belt, with the WBO ordering a Delgado vs Teofimo Lopez fight.
Duarte, meanwhile, fights Angel Daniel Fierro Barrera on the Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez vs David Benavidez card which takes place May 2 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas atop a PBC on Prime Video PPV.
But, if Duarte felt he had unfinished business with Hitchins, Richardson himself invited him to welterweight.
“Tell Duarte if I’m so scared to fight him, meet me at 147,” Hitchins posted on X.
“I’ll fight him whenever he wants, literally whenever his manager can reach out, whenever!”
Hitchins then said it’s illogical to assume he’d invest in a 13-week training camp, and make the weight for the fight, only to withdraw at the eleventh hour to give up the world title he’d worked so hard for, all because he was apparently “scared” of Duarte.
““Imagine Me investing in a whole 13 week camp, draining my body to the most extent,” Hitchins said. “Make weight, miss a 7 figure pay day, and give up my world title that I worked my whole life for” just to be scared of Duarte.
“Run with whatever narratives y’all want,” he finished. “I’m one of the best fighters in the sport!”
