Edwards said Hitchins has the flexibility to assert a title at 147 kilos, adding that the attention test shows a fighter operating at a high level even when he still needs more time against elite opposition. It was a robust endorsement of Richardson Hitchins as he begins the subsequent stage of his profession.
Hitchins has long looked like a boxer with the tools to hassle champions. He can jab, control range, stay disciplined, and keep opponents from fighting their preferred fight. Those traits often carry well when a fighter moves up in weight, especially in a welterweight class that has recognizable names but no unbeatable champion. Having ability and opportunity are two various things.
Some critics consider Hitchins has hurt his own momentum at times through difficult negotiations, chasing only premium fights, or abrupt changes in plans. That perception can follow a fighter even when the explanations are more complicated behind the scenes. Boxing fans are likely to remember the fights that didn’t occur almost as much because the ones that did.
Now there may be one other factor. Hitchins is signed with Zuffa, which can have different priorities than traditional boxing promoters. If Dana White wants the corporate built more just like the Ultimate Fighting Championship model, then outside belts might not be the fundamental goal. UFC built its business around its own championship being the prize, not sending stars to chase titles controlled elsewhere.
If Zuffa follows that very same route in boxing, Hitchins may very well be matched in internal marquee fights as a substitute of being pushed toward WBC, WBA, IBF, or WBO champions. That would mean larger events and stronger purses, however it may additionally delay or block a conventional world title run.
The apparent example is Conor Benn, one other beltless welterweight name under the identical banner. That style of fight could also be simpler to make than coping with rival promoters and sanctioning bodies.
Edwards could also be right that Hitchins can win a title at 147. Whether his recent promotional home wants him chasing one is the part no one knows yet.