Richardson Hitchins believes he can elevate his star status with his next victory
Richardson Hitchins has told Matchroom’s ‘Flash Knockdown’ podcast that he’s on the road to superstardom and will ram that home with a dazzling performance in his biggest fight to date when he takes on Gustavo Lemos in a final eliminator for the IBF World super lightweight title at Bleaulive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas on Saturday April 6, live worldwide on DAZN.
Hitchins (17-0 7 KOs) can take a giant step towards landing a World title shot with victory over Lemos (29-0 19 KOs) in Sin City, and the Brooklyn ace is determined to show fans and rivals alike that he is here to stay as an elite-level headliner.
The 26 year old meets the unbeaten Argentine with daunting carrot of a shot at IBF king Subriel Matias dangling ominously in what is fast becoming the most exciting division in the sport. Hitchins though is not focusing on the champions or indeed Lemos, but just working on perfecting his craft, as he believes the best of Richardson Hitchins is too much for any foe, and that the boxing world has already started to recognize that.
“I think I am a star already and superstar status comes with me promoting myself, making the best of my opportunities and getting to that superstar status,” said Hitchins.
“My name is buzzing already as if I am a World champion, people put me in these fantasy fights like ‘I want to see Richardson Hitchins vs Devin Haney, vs Subriel Matias’ and this is just in a year that I’ve been with Matchroom.
“Once I’ve had a little bit of exposure to the boxing fans, my name is on the scene, so I feel like slowly but surely, people are seeing my talent and that will turn me into the superstar that I want to be once I get my hands on the World championships and big fights.
“I feel good, I feel ready for the moment. This is what I’ve been doing my whole life, this will just be another day in the ring for me and picking up another victory. That’s what we plan to do on Saturday.
“This is big, I’m not going to lie, it’s a huge opportunity. When I first fought on a Matchroom card in Ohio I said, ‘I’m supposed to be the main event right now’, and I don’t even think it was a year later that I was headlining my first card. I felt Matchroom was giving opportunities to fighters that were on a lesser level than me, and I felt I belonged at the level where I was headlining my own cards and be on the verge of a World title. I proved myself slowly but surely that I belong with the elite guys in the division, and now is the time to stamp my name in the division and in the sport.
“I’ve just be working extremely hard and perfecting my craft like I always do. I was told if it’s not broke don’t fix it, so we just tweak it. We’ve done some different things in camp to better condition me. As far as mentally and skillfully, we’re trying to get better in that aspect, to grow and elevate my game. My mindset is like what Kobe Bryant said, I’m chasing perfection even though I’ll probably never get it, because I know that most of my opponents will never chase something that’s so unobtainable, that will give me the edge over a lot of people.
“I’m one of those fighters that people say, ‘oh he’s boring’, but I’m also one of those fighters that could box a perfect fight and not have a glove landed on me. So I feel like that’s my motto and I’m sticking to hitting and not getting hit, and elevating my game, that’s what we focus on in camp, everything else is just getting in shape and making sure my body is in physical condition to endure punishment if needed or to go any grueling rounds if that’s what it comes down to.”
Hitchins’ clash with Lemos is part of a big night of action in Las Vegas as fellow rising contender Diego Pacheco defends his USWBC and WBO International Super-Middleweight titles against Shawn McCalman.
World title action on the card comes in the form of unbeaten Australian Skye Nicolson looking to claim a World crown at the first attempt as she meets Sarah Mahfoud for the vacant WBC Featherweight strap, while British Olympic gold medal man Galal Yafai defends his WBC International Flyweight title against Agustin Mauro Gauto.
Marc Castro gets a first title bout in his 12th pro outing, taking on Abraham Montoya for the vacant WBC Continental Americas Super-Featherweight title, Harley Mederos is in action for the sixth time in the paid ranks over six rounds against Pedro Vicente and there’s a pro debut for former Team USA talent Steven Navarro over six rounds at Super-Flyweight against Jose Lopez.