Richardson Hitchins declared he was on another level to Liam Paro, but needed to go prove it. That’s exactly what he did, earning a deceptively comfy SD12 (116-112 x 2, 111-117) victory over the now-former light-welterweight champion to seize the IBF world title and realise his championship aspirations three weeks before Christmas. Now though, comes the hard part heading into 2025.
Hitchins backs up talk in the best way possible
116-112, 111-117, 116-112: Richardson Hitchins bt. Liam Paro (c), wins IBF light-welterweight world title and improves to 19-0
“I’m on a different level, I can say that but get the opportunity to get in the ring and prove it. I feel I’m a better fighter, boxer, have better tools and am more experienced. If you look at my boxing journey from the amateurs, Olympics, to facing ex-world champions and many young undefeated fighters, you will understand.”
AFTER a tentative first frame, perhaps even the next two, Richardson Hitchins got into his groove and eventually proved a worthy winner over the 12-round distance against Liam Paro in their Puerto Rico headliner for the IBF light-welterweight world championship. This wasn’t an absorbing firefight, but Hitchins didn’t need it to be.
Originally set to be Subriel Matias’ second title defence, the Aussie ripped up the script with a composed underdog showing in June and prompted the 140lb divisional landscape to change once more at a time where multiple contenders from the weight class directly below have considered, or opted to swim in deeper waters after Josh Taylor’s undisputed reign ended unceremoniously in 2022.
The man who should’ve held world gold after a fateful night at Glasgow’s SSE Hydro Arena, Jack Catterall, is widely expected to box for world honours again at some stage in 2025 but Hitchins will relish the opportunity to maximise his earnings with a shiny new status as American rivals Teofimo Lopez (WBO) and Devin Haney (WBC) hold titles in a division with intriguing matchups aplenty to be made.
After conceivably being 3-1 or even 4-0 down after 12 minutes, the Brooklyn-born challenger found his rhythm. Paro’s punch volume was more than double that early on, though Hitchins’ accuracy steadily increased – success predicated by his jab.
The 27-year-old only threw more punches than Paro in two rounds, per Compubox, the seventh and eighth, though was importantly able to reduce the southpaw’s effectiveness and it felt telling that the Queensland native’s best round in the second-half was the finale. By that stage though, it was frustratingly futile.
Total punch stats
Thrown: Paro 483-351 Hitchins
Landed: Hitchins 105-84 Paro
Jabs
Hitchins 67-53 Paro
Success: 67/222 Hitchins (30.2%), 53/339 (15.6%) Paro
Power punches
Hitchins 38-31 Paro
38/129 (29.5%) to 31/144 (21.5%)
Hitchins snapped his perfect 25-0 pro record, with only one other judge (Frank Lombardi, R10) giving him a round in the final seven after a decent-if-unspectacular start. Paro promised in the build-up to take this challenger to dark places and see whether he’d quit, but in reality, left himself an underwhelming second best here.
The dissenting judge, Puerto Rico’s Nelson Vazquez, might have more than 30 years’ experience scoring fights but this isn’t the first time he has produced a questionable scorecard. Jermell Charlo’s split draw against Brian Castano in July 2021 was the last world title fight he was involved with, scoring it the same 117-111 for Charlo.
Picture source: Melina Pizano/Matchroom, quotes sourced
Mo and Sports 