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Hitchins teases “date soon” amid free agency drama

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Image: Richardson Hitchins' Free Agency Backfires as Eddie Hearn Confirms Turki Alalshikh's Loyalty to Matchroom

Richardson Hitchins revealed on social media that he has “fight date coming soon.” This will be Hitchins’ next defense of the IBF welterweight title.

Still no Lopez. Still no Buzz

It’s not expected to be the unification match Hitchins (20-0, 8 KO) wanted against WBO 140-pound champion Teofimo Lopez, nor is it a clash with Devin Haney. Those lucrative fights will likely remain elusive for Hitchins, who hails from Brooklyn, Novel York. Teofimo was the massive prize that Hitchins had pursued unsuccessfully.

At best, Richardson could sign one of these 140-pound contenders:

  • Gabriel Valenzuela
  • Kenneth Sims
  • Jamaine Ortiz
  • Oscar Duarte

Free agency backfired

Hitchins wants massive names to boost his fame, but these guys are not it. He recently called Devin Haney, but there was no interest from him. The problem is that Richardson is fighting in the wrong weight class at 140 pounds, lacks a crowd-pleasing style, and isn’t popular enough to get the names he wants.

Richardson, 28, recently shot himself in the foot by declaring his free will in the ring following an eighth-round knockout victory last summer on June 14, after knocking out veteran George Kambosos Jr. in the eighth round at Madison Square Garden in Novel York.

Hearn was offside

“I’m a free agent now” Hitchins said. The way he announced it publicly surprised his promoter at the time, Eddie Hearn, who had hoped to extend his contract with Matchroom. Shortly afterwards, it was revealed that Turki Alalshikh had stated that he would not work with Hitchins unless he was associated with Matchroom.

Reacting to Hitchins’ free agency announcement from inside the ring, Hearn later said: “I felt disrespected. It wasn’t him [Hitchins]these are the dogs surrounding him – snakes and bloodsuckers who injure themselves without risk.

Hitchins match round with six fights

  • George Kambosos Jr.
  • Liam Paro
  • Gustavo Lemos
  • Józef Zepeda
  • Jan Bauza
  • Jomar Alamo

Woods’s POV: I should have stayed with Hearn

In hindsight, Hitchins should have re-signed Hearn because he would have had a better chance of getting the fights he wanted with him. In the six fights that Hitchins had with Matchroom, he was placed in a world title fight.

Without Hearn, it is doubtful whether Hitchins would ever have gotten the chance to fight for a world title against IBF 140-pound champion Liam Paro on December 7, 2024. Richardson would still only be a contender.

Last update: 17/10/2025

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Hall of Fame champion claims he would be the one to beat Terence Crawford: ‘I’m going to win’

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Hall of Fame champion says he would have been the man to beat Terence Crawford: “I’m going to win”

The star fighter, who has made an astonishing 15 defenses of his welterweight world title, supported himself in a fantastic showdown with Terence Crawford.

Many consider “Bud” to be one of the greatest welterweight champions of all time, considering his size undisputed triumph over Errol Spence Jr in 2023

He had previously won seven straight 147-pound world titles, all through stoppages, but he could only cement his position as top dog by dethroning Spence.

Not only did he defeat “The Truth” and win his three world titles, but Crawford secured a surprisingly one-sided defeat over nine rounds.

After that career-defining moment, the American became the undisputed three-division champion, moving up to 168 pounds to dethrone Canelo Alvarez.

However, at welterweight, Crawford managed to produce some of his best performances, perhaps striking the perfect balance between being vigorous and impressively fit.

Another man who has had considerable success at 147 pounds is, of course, Felix Trinidad, who reigned as the IBF world champion for almost seven years.

Two of his greatest victories came against Oscar De La Hoya and Pernell Whitaker, who both went on to create Hall of Fame careers in their own right.

It is therefore natural that “Tito” sees his chances in a direct fight with Crawford, saying: Fighting Hub TV that he would give “Bud” his only professional flaw.

“With all due respect to Crawford…Tito Trinidad – I will win.”

While no fighter has been able to answer Crawford’s mystery, it is equally safe and sound to say that the former five-division world champion has never faced someone like Trinidad.

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Robeisy Ramirez signed with Raizd Boxing after leaving Free Agency

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Image: Major Companies Failed To Sign Robeisy Ramirez

Raizd announced the deal on Instagram on Monday, posting: “Official: Robeisy ‘El Tren’ Ramirez signs with RAIZD BOXING. World-class addition. Former WBO World Featherweight Champion. Two-time Olympic gold medalist. Welcome to the team, Robeisy.”

For a startup that is still building its name, this is a robust impulse. For everyone else, it encourages questions. There has been no evident move from Zuffa Boxing, Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions or other major teams that often pursue recognizable talent.

When a two-time Gold Medalist hits the open market and the Massive Four don’t pull the trigger. Raizd Boxing is basically a ghost ship right now. They are so modern that they haven’t even held their first event yet.

As for why the giants have stayed away, it probably comes down to a combination of time, shelf life and the ongoing business changes many of these companies are making.

At 126 pounds, 32 is on the older side. Promoters are notoriously wary of small-time fighters who have just had a career-changing break. Perhaps they would prefer to wait and see if he has anything left before signing him to an high-priced multi-fight contract.

While Dana White is finally taking action, Zuffa is aggressively targeting younger, buzz-worthy talent like Edgar Berlanga and Richardson Hitchins. Ramirez is 32 years aged and had a brutal knockout loss to Rafael Espinoza in December. Zuffa could see him as a veteran of damaged goods rather than a fundamental piece of their launch.

Ramirez may not have the same shine he had when he fled Cuba or when he beat Shakur Stevenson in the amateurs, but fighters with that kind of experience rarely hit the open market.

His recent form likely played a role. Ramirez is 14-3 with nine knockouts and has lost two of his last three fights, with both losses coming to Rafael Espinoza, including a stoppage in the rematch. At 32 years aged, he is no longer a long-term project that can be slowly developed.

Still, there is a clear advantage if handled properly. Ramirez remains a talented southpaw with the pedigree, experience and enough reputational value to quickly become relevant again at featherweight or above. If it combines wins, larger promoters may regret letting startup Raizd make the first move.

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Tim Bradley firmly predicts KO in Conor Benn vs. Ryan Garcia fight

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Tim Bradley makes emphatic KO prediction for Conor Benn vs Ryan Garcia

Hall of Famer Tim Bradley believes the welterweight clash between Conor Benn and WBC world champion Ryan Garcia will end decisively.

The two are in talks that could happen later this year, and Garcia also mentioned the possibility of a rematch with WBA world champion Rolando Romero.

In their first meeting in May 2025, Romero won a unanimous decision after defeating his fighter in the second round.

However, Garcia has since secured the WBC 147-pound title after dethroning Mario Barrios whom he dropped and passed unanimously in February.

This marks the 27-year-old’s first victory since 2023, when he edged Oscar Duarte in the eighth round before his controversial fight with Devin Haney.

Despite a majority decision advantage over Haney, that result was declared a no-contest in April 2024 after “King Ry” tested positive for the banned substance ostarine.

Benn also failed a 2022 drug test ahead of his canceled fight against Chris Eubank Jr, whom he ultimately defeated in a middleweight rematch last November.

This followed a points defeat to Eubank in April 2025, although earlier this month Benn remained in the win column, ahead of Regis Prograis, who subsequently announced his retirement.

However, despite his last fight at 150 pounds, the 29-year-old now wants to capitalize on his No. 1 ranking in the WBC and fight Garcia.

I’m talking to ESNEWSformer two-division world champion Bradley gave Benn little more than a prayer against Garcia.

“Ryan knocks him out.”

As the top contender for the WBC welterweight title, Benn is expected to be ordered to fight Garcia in the not-too-distant future, even if ongoing negotiations fail.

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