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Having a chance at a world title is all Richardson Hitchins wants. However, he would prefer it to be against a particular champion.
The IBF currently has Hitchins ranked as its third highest contender. Well, he technically holds the number one spot since both the number one and number two spots are vacant. Just behind Hitchins in the rankings is Jack Catterall. To determine who deserves the next shot against Subriel Matías, the sanctioning body recently ordered a tender.
However, that mandatory offer was postponed as both sides asked for more time. So far, all signs point to the couple reaching an agreement and doing so by the end of this year.
Although a win over Catterall will align Hitchins with a date against Matias, the 25-year-old wants to get his hands on someone completely different.
“Arnold Barboza, let’s rock,” Hitchins wrote on his social media account. “You suck my boy.”
For the 32-year-old, Hitchins’ warning is virtually superfluous. Considering that he is the WBO’s number one contender for Teófimo López, Barboza is in an ideal situation. Although he could have sat and waited for his turn, Barboza thought the activity was a better decision.
Last weekend, he solidified his position with an eighth-round knockout victory over fringe contender, Xolisani Ndongeni. There may be no more risks taken, as Barboza will now wait to see how Lopez fares against Jamaine Ortiz on February 8.
In the meantime, Hitchins may have to go the IBF route. However, although he is not afraid of Matías, Hitchins believes that a fight between them would mean that the chips would be stacked against him.
The IBF is currently the only sanctioning body that forces its champions and challengers to undergo a second weigh-in on fight day. With only 10 pounds of wiggle room to work with, Hitchins isn’t keen on following his rules.
Will Hitchins bite his mouthguard and continue on his way to that red trinket? That’s a question he’ll have to answer in the coming months. That said, he would prefer to put the IBF aside and try to please the WBO.
“I want that number one spot in the WBO.”
