The IBF’s decision to strip Jai Opetaia of their cruiserweight title on the eve of his contest with Brandon Glanton has jeopardised Zuffa Boxing’s attempts to sign Richardson Hitchins.
Hitchins, 28 years old and the IBF junior-welterweight champion, was considering a lucrative offer to join the promotional organisation led by Dana White but, BoxingScene understands, is increasingly wary that doing so could lead to the loss of the title he is determined to retain.
It was with a victory over Liam Paro in December 2024 that he was crowned champion, and he has since defended it once, against George Kambosos Jnr in June 2025. Both contests were on Matchroom promotions – his promotional contract with Matchroom has since expired, contributing to the offer received from Zuffa before Opetaia-Glanton.
For reasons including but not exclusive to the English welterweight Conor Benn leaving Matchroom for Zuffa, the rivalry between the promotional organisations has perhaps become the most intense of any between two promoters in 2026.
Hitchins, it is also understood, hasn’t yet ruled out following in Benn’s footsteps, but having watched Australia’s Opetaia – who has long been so vocal about his ambition of winning the undisputed cruiserweight title – expect to be able to defend it against Glanton and then get stripped ahead of his first fight since joining Zuffa, the American recognises he potentially has greater considerations than promotional rivalries to weigh up.
The two most lucrative fights that could be made for him at 140lbs would be against Shakur Stevenson, the WBO champion, and Keyshawn Davis, and Hitchins is aware of the value of his status as a recognised world champion in the event of negotiations for a date against either.
Until illness forced his withdrawal, the Keith Connolly-managed Hitchins had been scheduled to defend his title in February against Oscar Duarte on the undercard of Mario Barrios-Ryan Garcia, a promotion overseen by The Ring, whose owners the General Entertainment Authority are working closely with TKO Boxing and Zuffa. Benn, incidentally, is also managed by Connolly.
