IBF junior welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins talks to Fight Hype about his June 14 title defense against George Kambosos, his desire to fight Devin Haney, and what he makes of Teofimo Lopez withdrawing from a reported agreement to fight Haney. As far as Hitchins is concerned, he’s willing to take on all-comers once he deals with Kambosos. Here’s some of what he had to say.
Hitchins on where his beef with Kambosos stems from
“Just back and forth on Twitter, back and forth talk, him thinking I’m not who I say I am. And George Kambosos, he’s not silly, he’s not dumb, he knows what he’s about to be in front of. He know this sh-t is the big leagues right here, this ain’t no Devin Haney fight. Like I said, this is a whole different level from Devin Haney.”
On if he feels like big names around his division have been ducking him
“I don’t feel like they’re ducking me, I feel like they just terrified of me, scared of me. Like, that’s what it is. These guys do not want to fight. I’ve been calling these guys out since how long? I’ve been calling Devin — Devin Haney haven’t said my name yet about a fight.
“This guy will bring up women, he’ll bring up money, he’ll bring up this, that — but let’s fight. I seen his daddy the other day in the gym and I told him that once I got to the division his son was out of there but his son is fighting catchweights, saying he want to fight at 144, 145. Look, I got a belt, let’s make it happen. I’ll come to a catchweight too, it don’t matter. And that’s facts.”
On Teofimo Lopez changing his mind and turning down a supposed $11M offer to fight Devin Haney
“Throw me that million dollars, I’m ready to go right now. I’ll do him and Kambosos the same night for that…they ain’t gonna do sh-t anyways. George Kambosos or Devin Haney, they can’t hurt me.
“I think Devin Haney really want that fight [against Lopez]. He really feel like he can beat Teofimo Lopez, he been on Teofimo Lopez’s heels for a minute. Teo kind of weird, he trying to fight Boots but he don’t want to fight Devin. I don’t know what’s going on with him.”
On whether he wants to unify with Gary Antuanne Russell
“I’ll unify with any of the champions. Puello, Gary Russell, Teofimo, it don’t matter.”
