Liam Paro and Richardson Hitchins squared off on December 7 at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The contest featured the defending IBF super lightweight champion from Australia against the mandatory challenger from Brooklyn, New York.
The scheduled 12-round world championship bout went the full distance. The judges’ decision was split, with a 117-111 score for Paro and two 116-112 scores for Hitchins.
With the victory, Richardson Hitchins (19-0, 7 KOs) remained undefeated and became the new IBF 140-pound champion. In his post-fight interview, the 27-year-old said that in his next fight, he wanted to face Teofimo Lopez Jr. (21-1, 13 KOs). The 27-year-old fellow Brooklyn native currently holds the division’s WBO belt.
“I knew today I was going to wake up and become world champion,” Richardson Hitchins said.
“I want Teofimo in New York, Brooklyn, unification. I think that would be one of the biggest fights in 2025. A very lucrative fight, a very big fight.”
“And like I said, I don’t belong in the ring with no nobody else, but the top level in boxing. That’s what it’s about.”
Liam Paro (25-1, 15 KOs) was unsuccessful in his first defense and lost the title. The 28-year-old southpaw suffered his first defeat.