Boxing
Richardson Hitchins has the belt, but the market has moved
Published
3 months agoon
The belts are still valid, but their value depends on who you defeat and where the fight takes place. You need wins that will get people talking when the bell rings. Hitchins did exactly what was asked of him in the ring. The problem was that he didn’t have the right stage or substantial names to turn his skills into a real star.
The situation is even more hard because he fights just like Shakur Stevenson. Both fighters keep their distance, avoid substantial fights and prefer to dominate through technical skills. It’s not a matter of talent. Stevenson had his substantial victories on major television networks where everyone was watching. Hitchins was winning quietly. His victories occurred, but they did not augment his popularity
The 140-pound division simply doesn’t have the names left to fix it. At one point, Teofimo Lopez was the favorite to fight for the money, but he never seemed interested. Now that Stevenson has beaten him convincingly, Lopez is no longer the draw he once was. A fading name won’t bring much profit or justify taking risks, especially for a champion who needs attention. Previously, this duel was very risky, but now it makes no sense.
The junior welterweight division is left with a miniature and ugly slate of choices. Guys like Ernesto Mercado and Gary Antuanne Russell are perilous in the ring, but they don’t bring in the fans or cash to make the risk worth it. This compromise may have paid off when the belt gave you the advantage, but those days are gone. Competitors make their calculations early and move on.
Moving up to welterweight is a completely different game. That’s where the money and cameras go. Large names like Devin Haney, Conor Benn, Ryan Garcia and Keyshawn Davis are all looking towards 147. Even smaller fights gain traction by being close to these stars, which leads to better TV slots and much bigger paydays. It’s much easier to sell a player that needs to be introduced when the stage is already huge.
Hitchins looks at the movement because the logic cannot be ignored. He is focused on finding the real deal, which proves he truly understands how today’s game works. In this era, success is based on performing in front of an audience, not just climbing the rankings.
Staying still has its limits. Hitchins is talented, but there are people at 140 who can be quite upsetting if he has an off night. None of these opponents offer a substantial enough reward to make it worth sticking around. At 147, the risks are different, but the potential for stardom is much greater. This is how players have to plan their careers these days.
The overall picture is uncomplicated. In this era, a bar only attracts attention if you are already popular. Hitchins won his title without the hype that usually accompanies it. When this happens, sitting and waiting rarely solves the problem. The players go to where the crowd is already gathered.
For Hitchins, moving up from junior welterweight doesn’t mean leaving the job half-done. He simply realizes that the division has nothing left to offer him. This awareness is more significant than having a belt, because it actually determines the further direction of your career.
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Boxing
The Errol Spence Jr vs Tim Tszyu fight will take place on July 26 in Australia
Published
38 minutes agoon
April 25, 2026
Rafael reported that sources indicate that the junior middleweight fight is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, July 26, in Australia, which means the U.S. broadcast will take place on Saturday evening, July 25.
If finalized, it would be Spence’s first fight since his loss to Terence Crawford in July 2023. The former welterweight champion has spent a long period out of the ring, which would also mean him moving up to junior middleweight against an opponent who is naturally bigger and more busy.
This makes it a challenging return task rather than a unthreatening tune-up. Spence will return after almost three years away overseas and will face a fighter who has already operated at a world-class level in the division. This July will mark approximately 36 months since Spence’s last fight. At the age of 36, such passivity is arduous for most people.
Tim Tszyu is also trying to maintain his standing in front of the home crowd after a recent arduous run. Still, he remains one of the stronger names at 154 and brings size, pressure and knowledge of the weight.
The schedule provides a clear commercial window for both sides, with the Australian stadium-style afternoon event morphing neatly into Saturday night on American television.
Nothing is official until the contracts are signed, but if it does happen, Spence will take the risk immediately. Many players at the end of the break ask for something more fragile. This one goes the other way.
Robert Segal is a boxing reporter at Boxing News 24 with over a decade of experience covering fight news, previews and analysis. Known for his first-hand reporting and in-ring perspective, he delivers authoritative coverage of champions, challengers and emerging talent from around the world.
Boxing
World champion claims Conor Benn pulled out of fight after ‘setting up the whole deal’
Published
3 hours agoon
April 25, 2026
Conor Benn could be ready for a world title fight against Ryan Garcia, but there is one reigning world champion who claims the Briton recently pulled out of a title shot even though “the whole deal has already been done.”
Benn made his Zuffa Boxing debut earlier this month. defeating Regis Prograis in a 150-pound catchweight bout – his first fight at sub-154 pounds in four years – and now he looks ready to fight for world titles at welterweight.
Although his position as mandatory challenger for the WBC title put him in line to face Garcia, WBA 147-pound champion Rolando Romero claimed that Benn had withdrawn from the title fight.
I’m talking to Fighting Hub TV“Rolly” explained why he doubted the Garcia fight would happen and revealed that he expected to fight Benn until “The Destroyer” changed his mind.
“Conor Benn waived me, we had the whole deal done, we were supposed to fight on May 30 in Fresh York for my world title, and then he just disappeared out of nowhere.
Conor Benn was there begging to fight me. By the way, we already had everything planned, but he’s in Fresh York trying to create all this fuss and stuff – he did it for advantage. Same with this, he can do this with Ryan too to gain strength.
“They’re out there trying to do all this stuff, I don’t do this imitation beef. That throws me off, you go and do all this imitation beef and then you come here and act like a gigantic, tough guy and then you run away and don’t fight.”
“Maybe he was doing it with Ryan because Ryan would have knocked him out cool.”
Garcia and Benn could collide this summer in Las Vegas when Benn returns to the welterweight division in a direct world title fight.
Boxing
Jermell Charlo picks Tim Tszyu to defeat Errol Spence Jr
Published
5 hours agoon
April 25, 2026
Charlo then launched into a longer explanation, questioning what version of Spence would emerge after his years outside the ring and claiming that style favored Tszyu.
“He has little defense. Errol will come in softly. He doesn’t really move his head. Tim moves his head. He throws a few stone hay shots. “I just follow my fighting style and be realistic.”
Jermell looked like a war veteran and described the fight, giving reasons why he chose Tszyu to beat Spence.
For years, these two towers were the “Twin Towers” of Derrick James’ gym in Dallas. They shared celebrations, sweat and secrets. The problem is that Errol was very vocal about these sessions, essentially telling the world that he was “teaching” Jermell.
For a guy like Charlo, who carries enormous pride and has built his “Lions Only” brand on being the alpha, having a former teammate claim dominance over him is a stain he can’t wash off in a sanctioned fight.
Having never fought professionally, these gym stories are the only narrative that exists and you have to wonder if it’s still eating at him.
Charlo also indicated the location, with the fight expected to take place in Australia.
“He’s going to Australia there. I see Tim Tszyu winning that fight,” Jermell said.
X is having a field day because Charlo looks like a man who sat in a dim room and watched Spence’s training videos over and over again. Fans call this the “villain arc” energy. He spoke quickly, louder and louder, and seemed personally interested in the answer.
During the prophecy, Jermell had a diabolical look in his eyes, as if he were performing a technical exorcism on his elderly rival.
When he has such wide eyes and high energy intensity, he tends to rely on his “Only Lions” personality, which thrives on perceived disrespect. In this case, the disrespect is the years in which Errol Spence Jr. he claimed to be the “substantial brother” at the gym.
“I don’t have to fight Errol Spence and I don’t care about fighting Errol Spence,” Jermell said.
Jermell is essentially using Tim Tszyu as a proxy. Since Charlo hasn’t fought at 154 pounds since 2022, he needs Spence to lose to someone else to prove that the elderly era (the Derrick James era) is over. If Tszyu destroys Spence, it will validate Charlo’s technical criticism and make his inactivity look like a calculated move rather than a decline.
Chris Williams is a senior writer for Boxing News 24covering sports since 2013 and reporting on major events around the world. His relationships range from established champions to hungry prospects vying for recognition. Over the years, Chris has worked with many of boxing’s top brass, earning respect for his insightful analysis and insider perspective.
The Errol Spence Jr vs Tim Tszyu fight will take place on July 26 in Australia
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World champion claims Conor Benn pulled out of fight after ‘setting up the whole deal’
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