Richardson Hitchins Says ‘Fight Date Coming Soon’ for Next IBF Title Defense Amid Ongoing Free-Agency Drama

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

Still No Lopez. Still No Buzz

It’s not expected to be a unification match that Hitchins (20-0, 8 KOs) wanted against  WBO 140-lb champion Teofimo Lopez, or a clash against Devin Haney. Those lucrative fights are likely to remain elusive for the Brooklyn, New York native, Hitchins. Teofimo has been the big prize that Hitchins has been pursuing without success.

Fight Date coming soon 🙏🏾

— Richardson Hitchins (@HeIsRichardson) October 17, 2025

At best, Richardson might be able to get one of these contenders at 140:

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

Free Agency Backfire

Hitchins wants the big names that will boost his fame, but those guys aren’t it. He called out Devin Haney recently, but there’s been no interest from his side. The problem is, Richardson is fighting 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 following his eighth-round knockout win last summer on June 14th after knocking out the down-and-out veteran George Kambosos Jr in the eighth round at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Hearn Got Burned

“I’m a free agent now,” said Hitchins. The way he announced it publicly blindsided his then promoter, Eddie Hearn, who had hopes of extending his contract with Matchroom. Shortly after that, it was revealed that Turki Alalshikh stated he wouldn’t work with Hitchins unless he were connected with Matchroom.

In reacting to Hitchins’ inside-the-ring free agency announcement, Hearn later said, “I did feel disrespected. It’s not him [Hitchins], it’s the dogs around him—snakes and bloodsuckers taking cuts without the risk.”

Hitchins’ Six-Fight Matchroom Run

• George Kambosos Jr.
• Liam Paro
• Gustavo Lemos
• Jose Zepeda
• John Bauza
• Yomar Alamo

Woods’ Viewpoint: Should’ve Stayed with Hearn

In hindsight, Hitchins should have re-signed with Hearn, because he would have had a better chance of getting the fights that he wanted with him. In the six fights that Hitchins had with Matchroom, he was steered into a world title shot.

Without Hearn, it’s questionable whether Hitchins would have ever gotten the chance to challenge for a world title against IBF 140-lb champion Liam Paro on December 7, 2024. Richardson would still be just a contender.

Written by Ken Woods, Ringside Boxing Analyst, covering world title fights since 2018.