Dalton Smith grabbed the biggest win of his career on Saturday night.
But while beating Subriel Matias for the WBC junior welterweight title made Smith a champion, it also made him a target.
Immediately after his win in Brooklyn, New York, Eddie Hearn, his promoter, named numerous fighters Smith could face next. Among them was IBF 140-pound champion, Richardson Hitchins.
A unification makes sense from Hearn’s point of view. However, even with an impressive win and a shiny new belt under Smith’s arm, he isn’t on Hitchins’ (20-0, 8 KOs) radar.
“Devin Haney, I wanna fight you,” Hitchins wrote on X. “[Expletive] Dalton Smith.”It’s been a bit of a struggle for Hitchins to get a dance partner. The 28-year-old was on the verge securing a spot on ‘The Ring 6’ on January 31 against Jamaine Ortiz, who will fight Keyshawn Davis instead.
However, a fight against Oscar Duarte now looks to be a strong possibility for Hitchins.
But no matter which names are put to him, Hitchins is determined to get his hands on Haney, the WBO welterweight champion.
Haney, The Ring’s No. 9 pound-for-pound fighter beat Brian Norman Jr. for the title in November on ‘The Ring IV: Night of the Champions’ in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
He doesn’t seem as keen on a fight with Hitchins, who would be making his debut at welterweight for a potential clash.
“You call out everybody to fight nobody!” Haney replied to Hitchins on X. “Me, Keyshawn, Teo, Matias, Gary Russell, Brian Norman, Jamaine Ortiz, Frank Martin, you’re just clout chasing bro! Get in the field.”