Hitchins Teases ‘Fight Date Soon’ Amid Free-Agency Drama

Richardson Hitchins revealed on social media that he is a “fight date coming soon.” It will be for the next title defense of Hitchins’ IBF light welterweight belt.

Still No Lopez. No buzz yet

It’s not expected to be a unification bout that Hitchins (20-0, 8 KOs) wanted against WBO 140-lb champion Teofimo Lopez, or a clash against Devin Haney. Those lucrative fights will likely remain elusive for the Brooklyn, New York native, Hitchins. Teofimo was the big prize that Hitchins was chasing without success.

Fight Date is coming soon 🙏🏾

— Richardson Hitchins (@HeIsRichardson) October 17, 2025

At best, Richardson might land one of these contenders at 140:

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

Free Agency Backfire

Hitchins wants the big names that will boost his fame, but those guys aren’t it. He called out Devin Haney recently, but there was no interest from his end. The problem is, Richardson fights in the wrong division at 140, doesn’t have a crowd-pleasing style, and isn’t popular enough to get the names he wants.

Richardson, 28, recently shot himself in the foot and announced his in-ring free agency following his eighth-round knockout victory last summer on June 14 after knocking out occasional veteran George Kambosos Jr. in the eighth round at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Hearn burned

“I’m a free agent now,” Hitchins said. The way he publicly announced it blindsided his promoter at the time, Eddie Hearn, who had hopes of extending his contract with Matchroom. Soon after, it was revealed that Turki Alalshikh had said he would not work with Hitchins unless he was connected to Matchroom.

In response to Hitchins’ free agency announcement, Hearn later said, “I did feel slighted. It’s not him (Hitchins), it’s the dogs around him – snakes and leeches who get cuts without the risk.”

Hitchins’ Six-Fight Matchroom Run

• George Kambosos Jr.
• Liam Paro
• Gustavo Lemos
• Joseph Zepeda
• John Bauza
• Yomar Alamo

Woods’ take: Should have stayed with Hearn

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

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

Written by Ken Woods, Ringside Boxing Analyst, covering world title fights since 2018.