Hitchins Finally Acknowledges the Frank Martin Talk

At some point, a boxing call-out either turns into a fight or just becomes background noise. Richardson Hitchins seems to have decided he’s heard enough of the latter.

For weeks now, Frank Martin has been saying Hitchins’ name out loud, to cameras, to microphones, to anyone who would listen. The suggestion was always the same. He would knock him out. He would make a statement. He would do what others have not.

Hitchins mostly ignored it. Then, briefly, he didn’t.

“Frank Martin, let’s lock it in,” Hitchins wrote on X. “Have your people hit my people.”

That was it. No buildup. No explanation. Just the acknowledgment that the noise had reached a point where silence no longer felt useful.

Martin is coming off a December stoppage win over Rances Barthelemy, his first appearance since being knocked out by Gervonta Davis last summer. He has spoken since about titles, timing, and opportunities, all familiar phrases for a fighter trying to reinsert himself into relevance.

When talk meets inactivity

Richardson Hitchins has not been in the ring since June, when he stopped George Kambosos Jr. A return planned for January did not go ahead, leaving his status uncertain despite his position in the lightweight division. Extended periods without fights can complicate momentum, rankings, and visibility, particularly for a fighter at a stage where consistency usually defines progress.

Frank Martin, meanwhile, returned in December with a stoppage win over Rances Barthelemy. It was his first fight since being stopped by Gervonta Davis last summer. Since then, Martin has spoken openly about his intentions, including title ambitions and renewed direction, comments that often accompany a fighter seeking to re-establish footing after a setback.

The exchange between the two reflects a wider issue in the division. Several recognised names are active in discussion but not yet aligned in the ring. Call-outs, responses, and pauses are common, yet they can also underline how difficult it is to turn intention into confirmed dates.