Richardson Hitchins vs. George Kambosos | DAZN - June 14, 2025

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Richardson Hitchins will defend his IBF super-lightweight world title on June 21st in New York with George Kambosos the preferred opponent, Eddie Hearn has told The Ring.

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Full interview

[giacomino]

Richardson Hitchins will defend his IBF super-lightweight world title on June 21st in New York with George Kambosos the preferred opponent, Eddie Hearn has told The Ring.

I imagine Kambosos is the “preferred opponent” for a lot of belt holders

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RICHARDSON HITCHINS TO DEFEND IBF JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT TITLE AGAINST GEORGE KAMBOSOS JR. ON JUNE 14 AT MSG THEATER

Richardson Hitchins will make his first defense of the IBF junior welterweight title one week earlier than initially planned.

The Ring has learned representatives for Brooklyn’s Hitchins and Australia’s George Kambosos Jr. have reached an agreement for them to fight June 14 in a 12-round main event DAZN will stream worldwide. Promoter Eddie Hearn – whose company, Matchroom Boxing, represents Hitchins and co-promotes Kambosos with DiBella Entertainment – and DAZN changed the original date discussed from June 21 because WBA lightweight champ Gervonta Davis is expected to meet Lamont Roach in their immediate rematch June 21.

Hitchins, 27, and Kambosos, 31, will fight for Hitchins’ title in The Theater at Madison Square Garden. That New York venue is where Kambosos, the IBF’s No. 3 contender for Hitchins’ title, upset unified lightweight champ Teofimo Lopez by split decision in their 12-rounder in November 2021.

Hitchins (19-0, 7 KOs) won his IBF belt by beating another Australian, Liam Paro, by split decision in their 12-rounder December 7 at Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The taller, skillful Hitchins, who represented Haiti at the 2016 Summer Olympics, will be a sizable favorite to beat Kambosos as well.

Puerto Rico’s Subriel Matias, whom Paro upset by unanimous decision to win the IBF belt last June 15, is the IBF’s No. 1 contender in the 140-pound division. Matias (22-2, 22 KOs) is likely to participate in a non-title fight sometime in July against an opponent to be determined.

Sydney’s Kambosos (22-3, 10 KOs) is ranked two spots below Matias and one position above Paro (25-1, 15 KOs). Kambosos is just 2-3 since he dethroned Lopez, but he definitively defeated countryman Jake Wylie (16-2, 15 KOs, 1 NC) on points in his most recent match March 22 at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney.

Kambosos’ three aforementioned defeats were a pair of lopsided points losses to former undisputed lightweight champ Devin Haney (31-0, 15 KOs, 1 NC) and an 11th-round, technical-knockout to three-division champion champ Vasiliy Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs).

Paro, who has lost only to Hitchins, is ranked fourth by the IBF. The No. 2 spot in the IBF’s junior welterweight ratings is vacant.

Hitchins is ranked No. 2 among The Ring’s junior welterweight contenders for Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs), who owns The Ring and WBO belts. Paro is ranked sixth by The Ring, Matias is rated seventh and Kambosos is not listed in its top 10 contenders within the 140-pound division.

[margaret thatcher]

ffs kambosos again

[gregregegg]

I consider kambo a B grade fighter, but holy fornicate he has had a A grade career…

and still got a few years left if he wants.

[margaret thatcher]

that win vs teo got him a lot of opportunities. tbf, it was an excellent win and it should have. but kinda tired of him vs top guys and for me he's 1-4 in his last 5. hitchins isnt as established as loma or haney were but i expect him to handily outpoint kambo

[gregregegg]

Yea cashed in on teo win and fair.

I think going double Haney in Aus winning 1 or 2 rounds out of 24 quickly dragged interest away from him…

He should be fighting Parro not hitch.

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Richardson Hitchins aiming for June 14 title defense in New York City: Report

Richardson Hitchins could make the first defense of his IBF junior welterweight title on June 14 at The Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Hitchins would face former lightweight champion George Kambosos of Australia.

Keith Idec of The Ring Magazine is reporting that the fight is official. However, representatives of both fighters told BS on Monday evening that the fight is still in negotiations. The target date is June 14 in New York City, but the date, location and opponent could change.

Hitchins, 19-0 (7 KOs), won the title in December from Liam Paro in Puerto Rico, scoring a split decision victory. He is from New York City and will be performing in front of his hometown crowd for the first time since a February 2023 victory over John Bauza.

Kambosos, 22-3 (10 KOs), fought last month, outscoring Jake Wyllie over 12 rounds, though he did endure a cut along the way.

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Here are some excerpts of what Hitchins had to say below.

Hitchins on a fight with Kambosos, that was expected to be announced over this past weekend
“It was expected tonight but it didn’t happen so that means the fight ain’t done yet but they’re working. I trust in my team so I think the fight will happen.”

On what happens in a fight between Kambosos and himself
“I’m promising a massacre. I don’t expect nothing else from myself but me brutalizing his lil’ short ugly ass. He talk like he’s somebody, it’s sad. I don’t know why the Teofimo — Teofimo was the best thing to ever happen to this guy. Like Teo’s a clown, he’s not from New York. For letting a guy like him beat him, it’s sad.”

On wanting an eventual fight against Teofimo
“He’s champion, he say he’s from New York, we already on a collision course to the fight...He’s from Florida. Like he never fought for Nationals in New York, he never like represent New York. He’s a Florida boy saying he’s from New York because Top Rank or whoever is in his ear is telling him to use the city to promote him as a fighter, and it’s crazy. I don’t like that.”

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ERNESTO ‘TITO’ MERCADO RETURNS JUNE 14 ON HITCHINS-KAMBOSOS CARD IN NYC

Junior welterweight contender Ernesto “Tito” Mercado is ready to make his Big Apple debut.

Mercado told The Ring that his return date is set for June 14 on the undercard of IBF junior welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins’ title defense against George Kambosos Jr. at the Madison Square Garden Theater in New York.

Matchroom Boxing hasn’t announced the card yet, and Mercado isn’t aware who he’ll be facing following his dominant fourth-round stoppage win against Jose Pedraza in January.

The knockout artist Mercado (17-0, 16 KOs) said he would like to take on another credible opponent, namely fighters like Regis Prograis, Jack Catterall, Oscar Duarte, or Miguel Madueno as he continues his quest for a world title shot.

Mercado is surprisingly not ranked in the top 15 by any of the four major sanctioning bodies despite crushing reputable opponents like Pedraza, Jeremia Nakathila, Henry Lundy, Jayson Velez, and Xolisani Ndongeni ever since making his pro debut in 2021.

The 23-year-old Pomona, California native Mercado signed a promotional deal with Eddie Hearn in August.

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As revealed earlier this month, Richardson Hitchins (19-0, 7 KO) will defend his IBF super lightweight title against George Kambosos Jr (22-3, 10 KO) on June 14th at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

“June 14, NY we are here baby!” said Hitchins. “The 140lb king returns home, headlining my first show at MSG, as a world champion. Just saying it aloud gives me chills. I dreamed of moments like this as a kid and now we are here.

“George Kambosos is not on my level. Never has been, never will be. He’s talked himself into this fight, and now he’s going to pay the price for running his mouth. He had the biggest win of his career and crowning moment in this building, and on June 14 I end his career in that same building.

“This is my time, my division, and I plan on putting on a spectacular performance and showing the world that I am one of the best fighters on the planet.”

“The stars align again, history always repeats, I head back to a place I created legacy at, a home where I may be regarded as an underdog again but a familiar place that i thrive in,” said Kambosos Jr.

“I stand 2-0 at Madison Square Garden, the world’s most famous arena, and on June 14, I will make it 3-0 when I rip Hitchins’ belt off him and break his will, take his heart and ruin his undefeated career.

“He has never been in a fight with a fighter like me, I have stepped to the absolute best, a resume unlike any. This is my sixth world title fight. I’ve built countless experience and at my new weight of 140 pounds I feel tremendous and very motivated to become a two-weight world champion.

“He likes to talk for a man that deep down hasn’t achieved much, so I look forward to taking him to a place he has never been and seeing how much of the talk is real and how much of it is fake like others in the past. See you June 14, S—tchins.”

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ADAM MACA SET TO SIGN WITH MATCHROOM, WILL MAKE SUMMER DEBUT AT MSG ON HITCHINS-KAMBOSOS CARD

Highly-touted amateur prospect Adam Maca is set to sign a promotional deal with Matchroom Boxing after making the decision to turn professional, The Ring can reveal.

Maca, 17, made his name in the unpaid ranks by becoming a two-time Junior European champion and a five-time national champion. At world level, he picked up a silver medal while representing Albania, where he was born.

Earlier this year, Maca signed a management deal with Sam Jones, who said: "This kid is a superstar, a freak of nature."

It's also understood that Maca, who now lives in Brighton, will make his debut on June 14 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, where Richardson Hitchins will defend his IBF junior-welterweight title in the main event against George Kambosos Jr.

Eddie Hearn recently told The Ring: "We're trying [to sign Maca]. I've said before, there's three of them - Leo Atang, Adam Maca and a girl called Tiah Ayton.

"They're all sensational, they're very young, it's quite unique that you get fighters that young who are actually looking to turn pro now.

"We've got Leo, we're hopeful on Adam, and I think we're in a great position with Tiah."

And it now looks like Hearn has nabbed at least two of those three teenage starlets.

Matchroom signed 18-year-old Atang, who Hearn believes can be Britain's next superstar heavyweight, last month.

Atang will make his debut this summer, potentially on a card in Manchester.

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Andy Cruz vs Hironori Mishiro eliminator leads Hitchins vs Kambosos undercard

Andy Cruz, “Tito” Mercado, Nishant Dev, and more will see action on June 14th

As expected, an IBF lightweight eliminator between two-time Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz and once-beaten Hironori Mishiro will serve as the co-feature for Matchroom’s June 14th Richardson Hitchins vs George Kambosos Jr card in NYC.

The winner will likely be in line to fight Raymond Muratalla, who comfortably beat Zaur Abdullaev for the interim belt last Saturday. That said, it could be a while, as full titlist Vasiliy Lomachenko remains radio silent about his potential retirement.

Cruz (5-0, 2 KO) figures to be a massive favorite, as Mishiro (17-1-1, 6 KO) is the cream of the crop in Japan but has yet to claim a noteworthy scalp. If Cruz continues to develop his professional game, it’s hard to picture this matchup tripping him up.

Other names of note include Canadian heavyweight Alexis Barriere (12-0, 10 KO), who meets Cleveland club fighter Roney Hines (14-0-1, 8 KO); top super lightweight prospect Ernesto “Tito” Mercado (17-0, 16 KO), who faces Jonathan Montrel (19-3, 13 KO); and 2024 Olympic quarterfinalist Nishant Dev (1-0, 1 KO).

Not a ton of compelling matchups, but plenty of names you’ll want to keep your eyes on in the near future.

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EDDIE HEARN ADMITS PRESSURE ON RICHARDSON HITCHINS TO LOOK GOOD AGAINST GEORGE KAMBOSOS

NEW YORK — Richardson Hitchins is a 12-1 favorite to win his next fight for good reason.

The Brooklyn-based Hitchins convincingly outboxed then-unbeaten Australian Liam Paro to win the IBF junior welterweight title in his last fight. His upcoming opponent, George Kambosos, hasn’t defeated a championship-caliber opponent since November 2021, when the Sydney native changed his life by upsetting Teofimo Lopez by split decision in The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Kambosos also struggled in two 12-round lightweight title fights against another taller, technically sound opponent, Devin Haney, in 2022. Hitchins’ history and Kambosos’ body of work since he upset Lopez indicate that the handicappers have set the odds on Hitchins-Kambosos reasonably.

Hitchins’ promoter understands, of course, that this optional title defense against Kambosos (22-3, 10 KOs) on June 14 at The Theater is about more than simply producing his 20th professional victory.

“The pressure is on Richardson to look good and grab the attention of His Excellency and all those kind of people,” Eddie Hearn told The Ring in reference to Turki Alalshikh. “And if he looks good and wins in devastating fashion, I think he’ll be in a great position to land those big fights.”

Hitchins (19-0, 7 KOs) would love to secure a 140-pound championship unification fight with Lopez (22-1, 13 KOs), who owns The Ring and WBO junior welterweight titles. The 27-year-old Hitchins, a 2016 Olympian, is The Ring’s No. 1-rated contender in the 140-pound division.

Lopez seems more focused on possibly moving up to the welterweight division to challenge unbeaten Ring, IBF and WBA champ Jaron “Boots” Ennis (34-0, 30 KOs, 1 NC). Regardless, if Hitchins wants higher-profile fights and bigger purses, Matchroom Boxing’s chairman feels he might need to take risks during bouts he is instinctually inclined to avoid.

“It’s all about the product,” Hearn said. “People wanna see great fights, exciting fights. And I think that Richardson has been in some good fights. But a lot of the time, he’s got that style, which is hit and don’t get hit. And you see those guys kind of actively promoting that style. Hitchins champions it. Shakur [Stevenson] sometimes, [Terence] Crawford particularly.

“They don’t wanna go in there and make silly mistakes and get hit just because it’s gonna entertain some bloke in the arena. But as a promoter, we know that’s the product that you are judged by. And that’s why I feel like [William] Zepeda is the right fight for Shakur [on July 12]. And that’s why I think Kambosos is the right fight for Hitchins. He’s gonna come to try and win.”

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Teremoana Jnr off June 8 show in Australia and moved to June 14 in NYC

Heavyweight prospect Teremoana Jnr was supposed to be fighting on Sunday in Australia. Instead, he will have a different fight date, opponent and continent.

Teremoana, 7-0 (7 KOs), was originally scheduled to fight Jaipal Singh, 6-0 (4 KOs), on the June 8 undercard of Jai Opetaia-Claudio Squeo in Broadbeach, Australia.

But Singh has withdrawn from the bout, according to Matchroom Boxing, which co-promotes Teremoana. So the company has shifted Teremoana to its next big show – the June 14 date in New York City headlined by junior-welterweight titleholder Richardson Hitchins defending against George Kambosos Jnr.

Teremoana’s new opponent has not yet been announced.

Teremoana, a 27 year old from Australia, turned pro in late 2020 but has also kept one foot on the amateur side of the sport. In the 2024 Olympics he won one bout before losing to another pro-Olympian hybrid, Bakhodir Jalolov, who went on to win his second super-heavyweight gold medal.

The 6ft 6ins Teremoana has fought twice so far in 2025 – both first-round knockout wins, taking out the 11-1-1 Osasu Otobo in January and the 12-5 James Singh in March.

[gregregegg]

Hope they can get Teremoa a decent opponent…. If n out they should have just found a can for the goldcoast… if your gunna fly to USA you would hope they will at least pay for someone that can make it a couple of rounds.

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Fight week!!

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GEORGE KAMBOSOS LOOKS TO COMPLETE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN HAT TRICK AGAINST RICHARDSON HITCHINS

George Kambosos Jr will return to the scene of his greatest triumph Saturday.

The gregarious Australian will meet IBF junior welterweight titlist Richardson Hitchins at Madison Square Garden, New York, on Saturday.

"[I've fought] twice at Madison Square Garden and won both," Kambosos (22-3, 10 KOs) told The Ring. "Mickey Bey, former [IBF lightweight] world champion, knocked him down and beat him and Teofimo Lopez, [Ring and] undisputed champion, knocked him down, beat him, same place, same venue and now I go there [again.]

"Things happen in threes, this is here to be 3-0. I believe I'll knock him down. I believe I'll break him up and really beat this guy. I've never lost in America. This is exciting, it brings a big smile, it brings a lot of inspiration and motivation and a lot of confidence going to a place I'm so familiar with and a place I really have a bigger fan base than the supposed hometown champion has. This guy really isn't not liked in his own home, which is quite sad because I felt the love of my own country when I was champion but unfortunately he hasn't felt it."

Over the past few years, Kambosos has, like many world-level fighters, seen his activity drop off.

However, having fought in Australia in March, he has been able to build on that momentum ahead of facing Hitchins.

"I roll on from a good 12-round win in Australia, a great training camp over there and straight into Montreal into another training camp for another 12-round championship fight," he said. "I've brought in Eric Basran, who is in the WBC tournament. He's extremely similar to Hitchins. He's actually faster, moves better, bigger, we've had tremendous sparring, we've had a couple of other guys we've been using.

"I'm in great condition, peak condition. This is probably the quickest turnaround in my career which is very good. Activity is key in boxing. Because I'm always in big fights, championship fights, they take a little bit longer with negotiations but usually you don't see me for nine or 10 months but this time we've been very active, a lot good sparring, good training, rolling on from camp to camp, fight to fight."

Stylistically, the defending champion could be problematic for Kambosos. However, he refutes that.

"Hitchins is a good boxer, but he's not a fighter and we know his plan, we know what he's going to do, we've been up against similar in style but I don't think he's one-tenth of a Devin Haney," he said. "Especially when I fought Haney, that was a prime version of him, twice. Much more tools than what this guy has, this guy does not have many tools in the basket. He might say does, he might say he's going to sit there and trade with me, I welcome that with open arms but I also welcome his style, move, run, keep that boring the way he likes to fight.

"We have our plans, we've learned from our mistakes. Especially at 140, we have no weight issues at all, no draining, a lot of energy, we're coming to win this fight, we're very, very confident we're going to win the fight."

Whilst in Montreal, alongside stablemate Imam Khataev, who is getting ready for David Morrell Jr. on The Ring card for July 12, Kambosos also has added a renowned cornerman to his team.

"[We've] even brought in Russ Anber as my cutman; he's got a lot of knowledge as well," he said. "Between [Head trainer] Anton Kadushin, [chief second] Ramon Matthews Jr., Russ Anber and myself former undisputed champion of the world and my father, Major Jim Kambosos, is my manager, we've got an all-star team and we're ready to put on an all-star performance."

Despite that, the personable 31-year-old knows he'll be a sizable underdog. But that's not something that concerns him. After all, he was give no chance when he upset Lopez in November 2021.

"I do believe in the underdog, it's a good place for me, I like being against it, I like going into someone else's hometown," said the 8-1 underdog. "I love that feeling and maybe I missed that feeling when I was fighting big fights in Australia.

"There really is no pressure. I said that to Hitchins face. I saw there's a lot of edginess and pressure on this guys shoulders and I know that feeling because I've done the homecoming. There's a bit of a difference. I did it in front of 45,000, he's doing it in front of I don't know, I don't even know how well this is selling. That's not my problem, that's his problem. I've got nothing to lose and everything to gain, exactly like the Lopez fight was. I come into this fight, beat this guy and I'm back on top of the world. Massive. My name is already huge but this puts my name back up there again as one of the biggest names in the world of boxing.

"I'll be 32 on that day, so the stars have aligned. We're fully focused on Hitchins, not focused on anything else but I know this victory will be something special."

Hitchins (19-0, 7 KOs), rated at No. 1 by The Ring at junior welterweight, represented his ancestral home of Haiti at the 2016 Olympics, losing to Gary Antuanne Russell in the Round of 16. He signed professional forms with Mayweather Promotions but often flattered to decieve before switching to Matchroom in late 2022.

Since then, he has impressively beaten Yomar Alomar (RTD 6), shut out then unbeaten John Bauza (UD 10) and very nearly did the same to former title challenger Jose Zepeda (UD 12). However, the 27-year-old struggled with the aggressive Argentine fighter Gustavo Lemos (UD 12). He bested Liam Paro (SD 12) to become the IBF titleholder in December.

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HITCHINS-KAMBOSOS: ERNESTO MERCADO SIDELINED BY MINOR INJURY, JONATHAN MONTREL CLASH CANCELLED

Richardson Hitchins' New York homecoming against George Kambosos Jr suffered an unexpected blow to kick off fight week stateside, after it emerged overnight that a divisional rival and surging contender in Ernesto Mercado (17-0, 16 KOs) will not feature as planned.

Saturday's IBF junior welterweight world title matchup headlines a Matchroom card at Madison Square Garden Theater in New York, though a featured attraction at 140-pounds has been scratched after news of Mercado suffering an undisclosed minor training camp injury.

In an official statement, Team Mercado wrote: "Tito has unfortunately withdrawn due to a minor injury sustained during camp. For now, his focus will be on rest and recovery so that he can return stronger than ever. We also look forward to providing his fans with a future fight date that will showcase Tito's transition from Prospect of the Year to rising contender."

The 23-year-old, who didn't put a foot wrong en route to a fourth-round stoppage win over two-division world champion Jose Pedraza on January 25, was set to face New Orleans' Jonathan Montrel (19-3, 13 KOs) in another ten-round contest as he steadily builds up his resume and continues attracting attention from the ever-changing divisional landscape.

The California-raised puncher, of Nicaraguan and Mexican descent, is riding a six-fight stoppage streak including a second-round knockout win over longtime contender Jeremia Nakathila in November 2023 but unlike the WBO's No. 2-ranked lightweight Abdullah Mason, doesn't yet have the cache to be demanding low-risk, high-reward opportunities.

He recently told The Ring's Manouk Akopyan: "It's hard to get opportunities when I am knocking out everyone so quickly. We're trying to get the best opponents we possibly can, I say yes to everyone they offer me and want high-level guys. I'm not trying to be a contender for the rest of my life, I'm ready to fight for the world title right now."

Yet the four-year pro remains on the outside looking in as far as the four major sanctioning bodies' rankings are concerned, with this injury setback an untimely reminder that nothing is promised.

Instead, this represents a second cancelled fight in seven months after Mexico's Jesus Saracho (15-2-2, 12 KOs) missed weight by seven pounds before their proposed matchup as part of the Jaron Ennis vs. Karen Chukhadzhian 2 undercard in Philadelphia on November 9, billed as his promotional debut under Eddie Hearn's ever-growing stable.

As it stands, Saturday's card is now as follows

IBF world junior welterweight title: Richardson Hitchins (c) vs. George Kambosos Jr

IBF lightweight title eliminator: Andy Cruz vs. Hironori Mishiro

Welterweight, 8 rounds: Pablo Valdez vs. Cesar Diaz

Heavyweight, 6 rounds: Teremoana Jnr vs. Aleem Whitfield

Junior middleweight, 6 rounds: Nishant Dev vs. Josue Silva

Junior lightweight, 4 rounds: Zaquin Moses vs. Carl Rogers

Junior featherweight, 4 rounds: Adam Maca vs. Rafael Castillo

[Taansend]

That's TWICE George Kambosos dad has owned New Yorkers

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Richardson Hitchins, George Kambosos Jnr talk, tangle in presser

Before their title fight this Saturday night, Richardson Hitchins and George Kambosos Jnr engaged in the roast battle at Thursday’s press conference.

The media event to promote Hitchins’ first defense of the IBF junior welterweight title broke down into a shoving match and an insult competition, with Kambosos taking offense to Hitchins’ antic of waving $50,000 in cash in his face while challenging him to a bet.

Kambosos, a former unified lightweight champion, pressed his head against the New Yorker before pushing him away, which prompted security to get on stage and separate the two. The physicality of the incident looked unlikely to escalate beyond that, though Kambosos’ father, George Snr, did get close enough to take a swing at Hitchins trainer Lenny Wilson.

“Bet the fornicating money, you pussy,” said Hitchins, 19-0 (7 KOs), as Kambosos claims he had already bet $350,000 on himself.

“You borrowed the $50K just like you borrowed all that jewelry,” Kambosos Snr shot back.

After order was restored momentarily, Bill Haney – the father of Devin Haney – began sniping at Hitchins’ team from the stands, telling Wilson that Kambosos’ father had just “slapped him upside his head.” Wilson took exception to the provocation, jumping up and grabbing his chair in an attempt to use it as a weapon, drawing security back to the stage.

“Did I embarrass you?” said Kambosos Snr.

“I’m in your city,” added Kambosos Snr. “I don’t give a fornicate. I don’t care. Bring everyone. I got boys too.”

The two fighters left the stage without a face-to-face staredown, which was understandable given the events that preceded.

Although Hitchins, a native of the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, has had a much easier commute to Saturday’s fight venue of Madison Square Garden, Kambosos – a native of Sydney, Australia – reminded the public that he feels very much at home there.

His challenge for Hitchins’ belt will be his third time fighting at The Garden, a place where Kambosos has won on two previous occasions, including his biggest victory – a 2021 upset of Teofimo Lopez Jnr to lift the unified lightweight championship.

Kambosos added that, not only has he never lost at MSG, but he also is unbeaten in the United States, having won all five of his contests there.

“This is the trifecta,” said Kambosos, 22-3 (10 KOs), before the question-and-answer format of the event broke down. “I’m coming here as the underdog. I’m coming to win this fight. You’ve seen it before, you’ve seen it in his eyes, whatever it takes, by any means. There is no Plan B.”

Hitchins, 19-0 (7 KOs), was at The Garden the night Kambosos pulled off the upset over Lopez, and said he always envisioned a day like this.

“This is what I’ve worked for my whole life. I remember coming to The Garden and watching Teofimo and Kambosos compete. I said, ‘I can beat both of them guys. As soon as I get my opportunity, I’ll be a world champion. I’ll bring the championship back to the city,’ because New York had a lot of big fights through the years, but New York hasn’t had their own since 8-10 years ago,” said Hitchins.

Kambosos, who trained for this fight in Montreal, Canada, to adjust for the time zone, rejected the idea that stylistic roles had already been established, saying he has the skills and grit to win the fight, regardless of how he approaches the contest.

“He’s the one making statements, he’s the one saying he’s gonna knock me out,” said Kambosos, whose only two losses have come in a decision to Devin Haney and a stoppage at the hands of Vasiliy Lomachenko, in his final bout. “He says he’s gonna do this and that. We have our plans, we’ve worked extremely hard in training camp, and who knows? I may take a leaf out of his book and run the whole fight. We’ll have to wait and see. You know I can box, you know I can fight, you know I can dig deep down and do whatever it takes. You know I can get knocked down, get back up and win the championship fight.

“I’ve seen it all at the highest level. I’ve been at this pinnacle for years and years. Like I’ve been saying, resumes do matter in boxing. When you fight the best, beat the best, lose to the best, this warrior is still here back at his home ground.”

Hitchins, who won the title in December with a split decision over Liam Paro, vowed to bring the fight to Kambosos.

“He keeps saying I’m running,” said Hitchins. “I don’t ever run. Saturday night I’ll be in front of him all night long.”

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[Cent0089]

That was painful to watch. Imagine being Hitchins mom and watch yout 27 year old son behave like that. Pathetic. just stop all that press conferences and put idiots to the ring. Tired of this crap