Richardson Hitchins says he wants Devin Haney by his side for the first defense of the IBF light welterweight title he captured last Saturday night against champion Liam Paro. Hitchins (19-0, 7 KOs) states that Haney said he would fight him if he got a belt.
(Credit: Melina Pizano/Matchroom)
One obstacle that could prevent Haney from fighting Hitchins is the IBF’s 10lb rehydration limit. He would have to keep his weight no higher than 150 overnight after weighing in for the secondary weigh-in the morning of the fight.
If Devin needs to rehydrate at 165, the IBF’s rehydration clause will prevent him. For this reason, he will turn down the fight with Hitchins.
Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) is not on a fight streak since losing to Ryan Garcia earlier this year on April 20th. It has been sitting idle for the past 7 1/2 months since then.
Will Haney respond?
“Any of the champions wants to fight. Haney said if I get a belt, he’s going to fight me. Well, let’s do it,” Richardson Hitchins told the media following his victory over IBF light welterweight champion Liam Paro last Saturday night.
“I’m ready for any of the top names. I want the biggest fight in boxing. It’s time to secure my inheritance. Secure my family and fight the greatest battles.”
Hitchins trained IBF light middleweight champion Paro (25-1, 15 KOs), beating him by a 12-round unanimous decision at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The scores were 116-112, 116-112 for Hitchins and 117-111 for Paros.
Paro’s fans believe he made a mistake by agreeing to fight Hitchins on neutral turf instead of insisting, as champion, that the fight be held in his home country of Australia so he would have the advantage with the fans and the ratings of the competition.
It might not have made a difference because Paro was so far out of his league that it might not have mattered if the judges were from Australia.
