Richardson Hitchins’ next adventure would be a unification bout and for the true junior welterweight championship if he had his way.

That dream was put on hold for the unbeaten IBF titlist when lineal and WBO champion Teofimo Lopez was no longer available for the all-Brooklyn clash. The failsafe option was then secured by Hitchins, 19-0 (7 KOs), who will next face former lineal and unified lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. 

“I’m excited for the fight. We couldn’t get Teofimo Lopez,” Hitchins told DAZN’s Emily Austin while in Atlantic City for the Jaron Ennis-Eimantas Stanionis welterweight title unification clash. “Everybody wanted that fight next. Why not get the guy that beat him? It will be great fight for my career." 

Hitchins and Australia’s Kambosos, 22-3 (10 KOs), are due to meet in June. The working date is June 14 at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater in New York City, though at least two parties involved—including promoter Eddie Hearn—insist the date and location are still fluid.

Whatever the case, Hitchins will attempt the first defense of the IBF 140lbs. title he claimed in a 12-round, unanimous decision over then-unbeaten Liam Paro last December 7 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

A grudge match with Lopez was teased for weeks before talks broke off altogether. 

It was for good reason, at least for Lopez, 21-1 (14 KOs), who secured a lucrative bout with interim WBO junior welterweight titleholder Arnold Barboza Jr., 32-0 (11 KOs). Their title consolidation bout is the standout matchup of the forthcoming Ring Magazine-promoted show in the middle of New York City’s famed Times Square. 

Hitchins hits the ring six weeks later, and at the site of the career-defining win for his challenger.

Kambosos continues to squeeze out every last drop from his November 2021 upset split decision win over Lopez to become the lightweight king. A rough stretch followed, where he lost three of his next four fights. Worse, the one victory was a disputed majority decision over Maxi Hughes, followed by a knockout loss to Vasiliy Lomachenko in their IBF lightweight title last May. 

A move up in weight saw Kambosos defeat Jakie Wyllie, a late replacement opponent for Daud Yordan on March 22 in his hometown of Sydney, Australia. 

“It was a good fight. He beat a last-minute opponent and got the victory,” noted Hitchins. “All I was worried about was him getting the victory. He did that to secure our fight and it’s on now.”

Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as a senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home. Follow Jake on X and Instagram.