IBF light welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins has been calling out notable fighters well outside of his pay grade. He wants Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, and Teofimo Lopez to agree to fight him readily. It hasn’t happened.
Ring 6 Spotlight Missed
Hitchins (20-0, 8 KOs) has received flak on social media this week for reportedly turning down a fight against well-known Jamaine Ortiz for the undercard of Teofimo Lopez vs. Shakur Stevenson event on January 31st. Hitchins denied turning down the Jamaine fight, but fans don’t believe him.
They think he wants tomato cans like his last opponent, George Kambosos Jr., so he can hold onto his IBF 140-lb title long enough for a mega-million fight to fall into his lap without him needing to risk losing his belt.
It’s the perfect fight for Richardson to bring attention to himself by showcasing his talent on Turki Alalshikh’s Ring 6 event, which will have many boxing fans tuning in. For Hitchins to reject the Ortiz fight makes fans wonder who the ideal fighter outside of the big names is that he’ll agree to face.
Six Wolves Waiting
If Hitchins wants to gain popularity by fighting on next month’s January 31st card. Turki Alalashikh needs to put his feet to the fire by telling him he must fight one of these wolves:
Gary Antuanne Russell
Jamaine Ortiz
Keyshawn Davis
Ernesto Mercado
Subriel Matias
Emiliano Vargas
Is it asking too much of Hitchins to fight two or three of those hungry wolves? He doesn’t have to fight the whole bunch, just two or three, and he’s there. He’ll get those fights that he wants to change his lifestyle and put him in a new tax bracket.
Understandably, Hitchins wants the payday fights that will make him a multi-millionaire, allowing him to move to Beverly Hills and Holmby Hills to live among the rich and famous. But to live among the super-rich, Hitchins has to walk through fire first by beating the fighters on the above list.
Why Ryan & Haney Won’t Bite
Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, and Teofimo will never give him the fight that he’s begging for until he makes a name for himself. His fighting style is too defensive; he doesn’t want to engage, and he tends to move too much for one of those wealthy fighters to pick out.
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Boxing News 24 » Hitchins Wants Haney & Ryan — But Ducks Ortiz? Fans Think So
Last Updated on 12/09/2025