The way Richardson Hitchins tells it, he’s the ‘Takeover,’ not Teofimo Lopez. Hitchins, the reigning and undefeated IBF champ at 140 pounds, faces former lightweight champion George Kambosos Junior on Saturday. And not only is Hitchins ultra-confident he will win, but will win “easy and in dominant fashion” when he defends against the Australian warrior, he has declared how he will “take over the sport of boxing” thereafter.
Hitchins: Boxing’s Next ‘Takeover’ Star
Speaking with Matchroom Boxing, Hitchins, 19-0(7) stated that he is “a special fighter.”
“My plan is to take over the sport of boxing,” Hitchins said boldly. “I’m a special fighter. This is my time to shine.”
There is no doubt Hitchins is a major talent; a former Olympian and a man who went to Puerto Rico to upset Liam Paro to take the IBF 140-pound belt, he is now preparing to retain it for the first time. The 27-year-old from Brooklyn, New York, is both slick and loaded with confidence.
But has Hitchins got genuine star power, is he a fighter capable of transcending the sport? And to take over, that’s what you need; it’s not just about winning the fights in the ring. Heck, it took the superb Floyd Mayweather years to take over the sport, and we must remember that Mayweather’s brilliant business acumen was a big factor in him being able to do so.
Hitchins’ Hit-List: Lopez, Garcia, Haney
Hitchins, Kambosos Jr said in a pre-fight quip, can’t even draw fans in Brooklyn, his profile is so lowly. Hitchins has vowed to punish Kambosos for his trash-talk. And maybe he will. But Hitchins has a long, long way to go before coming close to taking over the sport. That said, Hitchins’ hit-list is as admirable as one, with him calling for fights with: Teofimo Lopez, Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, and the winner of the Mario Barrios-Manny Pacquiao fight.
Would wins in each of these four fights see Hitchins take a significant step towards his lofty takeover goal?
In the meantime, can Hitchins stop Kambosos, 22-3(10), and if so, can he do it in style?
