Richardson Hitchins finally spoke on January 31st about why he no longer fights Jamaine Ortiz, and the short version is this: the fight was real, it was signed, and then it was pulled out from under him.
“I did sign to fight Jermaine Ortiz. Things changed at the last second,” Hitchins wrote on X. “I’m going to be in a better fight in a very short period of time… Sorry it was out of my control.”
This is consistent with what happened next. Ortiz did not disappear. He just slipped into a different lane — one that now ends with Keyshawn Davis.
Ortiz has been talked about as Hitchins’ opponent for weeks. Then suddenly he was off that card and booked against Davis instead. Hitchins is completely off the date. No slow fade. Just gone.
Hitchins says it wasn’t his call. He says he signed. He says that has changed. He also says his next fight will come quickly and will involve a defense of his 140-pound title, with an announcement expected soon.
What is clear is this: Ortiz didn’t dive anything. He took the fight that was laid before him. Now he’s facing Davis, not Hitchins, and that’s a tougher stylistic problem than most fighters want from inactivity.
As for Hitchins, he remains in position to move forward with a separate title defense while Ortiz heads in a different direction.
End result is clean. Ortiz goes to one side. Hitchins goes another. And Jamaine Ortiz ends up being the guy who keeps getting plugged into the hard fights as plans keep changing around him.
This is boxing. The same week. Same date. Same opponent pool. And suddenly the road splits. For now, the only confirmed outcome is Ortiz facing Davis on January 31, while Hitchins’ next opponent and date have yet to be formally announced.
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Last updated on 26/12/2025
