Hitchins teases ‘Fight Date Soon’ amid free agency drama

Richardson Hitchins revealed on social media that he has a “Fight date coming soon.” It will be the next title defense for Hitchins’ IBF light middleweight belt.

Still not Lopez. Still no buzz

It’s not expected to be a unification match that Hitchins (20-0, 8 points) has been chasing against WBO 140-pound champion Teofimo Lopez or a showdown with Devin Haney. Those lucrative fights are expected to remain elusive for the Brooklyn, N.Y., native. Teofimo has been the big prize Hitchins has been chasing without success.

Battle date coming soon 🙏🏾

— Richardson Hitchins (@HeIsRichardson) October 17, 2025

At best, Richardson could land one of these contenders at 140:

• Gabriel Valenzuela
• Kenneth Sims
• Jamain Ortiz
• Oscar Duarte

Free Agency Backfire

Hitchins wants the big names to boost his fame, but these guys aren’t it. He read Devin Haney recently, but there was no interest from him. The problem is that Richardson fights in the wrong division at 140, lacks a crowd-pleasing style, and isn’t popular enough to get the names he wants.

Richardson, 28, shot himself in the foot recently, announcing his free agency inside the ring after his eighth-round knockout win last summer on June 14, knocking out veteran George Cambusos Jr. in the eighth round at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

The diamond was burned

“I’m a free agent now,” Hitchins said. The way he publicly announced it blindsided his promoter at the time, Eddie Hearn, who was hoping to extend his contract with Matchroom. Shortly afterwards, it emerged that Turki Alsheikh had stated that he would not work with Hitchins unless he was related to Machrom.

In response to Hitchins’ free agency announcement inside the ring, Hearn later said, “I felt disrespected. It’s not him (Hitchins), it’s the dogs around him – snakes and bloodsuckers who make safe cuts.”

Hitchins’ six-fight playroom run

• George Cambusos Jr.
• Liam Farrow
• Gustavo Lemos
• Yosef Zepeda
• John Bauza
• Yumar Alamo

Woods’ point of view: Should have stayed with Hearn

In retrospect, Hitchins should have re-signed with Hearn because he had a better chance of getting the fights he wanted with him. In the six fights that Hitchins had with Machrum, he was managed for a world title shot.

Without Hearn, it is doubtful that Hitchins would have ever gotten the chance to challenge for a world title against IBF 140kg champion Liam Farrow on December 7, 2024. Richardson would still only be a contender.

Written by Ken Woods, Ringside Boxing Analyst, covering World Championship fights since 2018.