Hitchins to Haney: I’ve got the belt, now fight me!

Richardson Hitchins says he wants Devin Haney next for his first defense of his IBF light welterweight title he captured last Saturday night against champion Liam Paro. Hitchins (19-0, 7 KOs) claims Haney said he would fight him if he captured a belt.

(Credit: Melina Pizano/Matchroom)

One obstacle that could prevent Haney from fighting Hitchins is the IBF’s 10-pound rehydration limit. He would have to keep his weight no higher than 150 overnight after weighing in for the secondary weigh-in the morning of the fight.

If Devin needs to rehydrate at 165, the IBF rehydration clause will prevent him from doing so. That is why he will reject the fight with Hitchins.

Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) does not have a fight scheduled after losing to Ryan Garcia earlier this year on April 20. It has been inactive for the past seven and a half months since then.

Will Haney respond?

“Whoever wants to fight one of the champions. Haney said if I get a belt, he’ll fight me. So, let’s do it,” Richardson Hitchins told the media following his victory over IBF light welterweight champion Liam Paro last Saturday night.

“I’m ready for any of the bigger names. I want the biggest fight in boxing. It’s time to secure my legacy. “Secure my family and make the fights more important.”

Hitchins schooled IBF light welterweight champion Paro (25-1, 15 KOs), defeating him by unanimous decision in 12 rounds at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The scores were 116-112, 116-112 for Hitchins and 117-111 for Paro.

Paro fans feel he made a mistake by agreeing to fight Hitchins on neutral turf rather than insisting, as champion, on staging the fight in his native Australia to have the upper hand with the fans and the contest score.

It may not have made any difference because Paro was so far out of his class that it might not have mattered if the judges were from Australia.