Brooklyn on his back - Hitchins believes statement win over Kambosos Jr. can unlock fight with Lopez or Haney

Richardson Hitchins flashes a megawatt grin as he poses for a series of pictures with local youth, signs autographs and holds an impromptu masterclass on how to throw his world class jab on Wednesday at the NYC Cops & Kids Boxing in East Flatbush, Brooklyn about 15 minutes away from where he grew up in the Crown Heights section of the same borough.

Ahh, it is good to be home.

The IBF super lightweight world champion will look for his first title defense Saturday night when he clashes with former unified 135-pound champ George Kambosos Jr. at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and live worldwide on DAZN.

“I just feel like I’m one of the best fighters in the sport of boxing today, one of the best purest boxers at hit and don’t get hit,” Hitchins tells DAZN News exclusively. “George is going to need every bit of f—ing luck Saturday.”

Hitchins used that same jab he is explaining the sweet science mechanics of at the moment to perfection in a win over previously undefeated Liam Paro in December.

He believes a statement homecoming victory over Kambosos can unlock a bigger fight in the near future in the form of a clash with Teofimo Lopez or Devin Haney.

A showdown with WBO super lightweight world titleholder Lopez would mark a championship unification bout in a fight between two Brooklyn boxers.

Though Hitchins is somewhat mystified over Lopez’ reported contract talks with Haney falling through and Lopez’ callouts of unified welterweight champ Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis not coming to fruition yet, he believes that fallout makes him the prime man to clash with “The Takeover” soon.

“Teo do what the f—k he want to do,” Hitchins says. “They just sent him a contract with $7 [million], $8 million with Devin Haney, he basically put his middle finger up to Turki [Alalshikh], the hand that feeds him, and he dismissed the Devin fight.

“If he wants a real fight, a big fight, I’m here,” Hitchins insists. “The name is always an option. I’m looking for the big fights in the sport. I want to be on the pound-for-pound list soon.

“Yeah, it makes definite sense.”

That said, the 27-year-old Hitchins (19-0, 7 KOs) vows he is not taking Kambosos (22-3, 10 KOs) lightly. After all, The Theater at MSG was the same venue back in November 2021 when the gritty Australian underdog shocked the world by dropping Lopez in the first round en route to pulling off a mammoth split-decision upset to become unified lightweight champion of the world.

“George Kambosos is in front of me Saturday, I gotta go out there and dominate him,” Hitchins said, “and if Teo ain’t next, I gotta beat another guy.”

He adds: “[Lopez] name is already established in the sport so I think I gotta catch up and build up more.”

Hitchins believes Haney’s ledger is already more established than his own as of now, too.

Just the mere mention of Haney’s name has Hitchins becoming wide-eyed in anticipation for a fight that upon reconsideration, he might hold with more urgency than even a meeting with Lopez.

“Oh, that guy, oh man, oh my God,” Hitchins says about Haney before letting out a deep sigh and whistle.

“I pray … I pray I get that fight,” he continues. “Oh my God, I pray I get that fight next. NEXT! At catchweight, too. I would hope they’d send me a contract and me and him could squabble and get whatever issue we got off our chest.”

But to keep either option alive and well, Hitchins needs the kind of boxing masterclass he is wrapping up at the moment to be tendered against Kambosos.

Like today at his home gym, it will start with that crisp jab.

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Standing against the wall at NYC Cops & Kids Boxing in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, Richardson Hitchins releases a humble smile.

“It do feel like a full circle,” he finally lets out.

After witnessing a homicide on Brooklyn streets at the age of 12, Hitchins found his way into the gym eager to learn and do something constructive with his time.

“I came in this gym, I didn’t want to be world champion,” he says. “I didn’t even know I was talented.”

Fifteen years later and Hitchins is putting the IBF super lightweight world title he won in Puerto Rico this past December around the waist and shoulders of local Brooklyn youth, getting fulfillment seeing their joy posing with the red and gold belt.

“I win for us,” he says to a group of impressionable kids.

Nirmal Lorick who has trained former world champion Luis Collazo as part his 30-plus years at Brooklyn’s famed Starrett City Boxing gym and is also an assistant trainer at NYC Cops & Kids Boxing remembers seeing Hitchins as an impressionable kid himself.

“He was a fun-playing kid,” Lorick says. “He came to the gym trying to fit in. He found his way quick because he was talented. He was more talented than physically strong.”

Under the tutelage of trainer Lenny Wilson and watchful eye of strength/conditioning fitness trainer Dave ‘Scooter’ Honig, Hitchins’ body has filled out into a cut, physical specimen.

Hitchins refers to Honig as his “secret weapon” for a reason.

“He wants to win,” Hitchins says of the famed fitness trainer who has etched explosive exercise programs for former world champion Daniel Jacobs and rap legend LL Cool J.

“He’s a crazy old guy,” he adds with a laugh. “I’m surprised he didn’t call me yet to ask me how much water I drank today.”

A few minutes removed from cordially granting more selfie requests from fans, Hitchins is willing to fully lean into his potential.

At 19-0, the 27-year-old could collect his 20^th pro win with a victory over George Kambosos Jr. at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.

“The heights that I feel I could go with my talent … I feel like I could be Floyd [Mayweather] big,” he offers. “It’s just exciting to me. The grind and fear of losing is exciting to me.”

That could be some of Mayweather’s philosophy that rubbed off on the former Mayweather Promotions boxer who has since been fighting under the Matchroom Boxing banner and is now on the brink of his first title defense.

The Hitchins’ camp expects aggression from Kambosos that they vow will be handled accordingly.

“We evolve,” his trainer Wilson contests. “[Kambosos] is going to have to have that ability, if he can, to try to build adjustments which I doubt very sincerely he will be able to.”

Still, Hitchins, who holds the key to unlock bigger fights, is not overlooking Kambosos at all.

“George is at the world level for a reason,” Hitchins says. “A lot of times, when a guy is at a world level and fighting a guy like me — a guy with so much speed, athleticism — they’re going to come a little bit more defensively responsible.

“And if he don’t … it’s his ass.”

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