Richardson Hitchins Shuts Out Ricardo Salas

Richardson Hitchins began life as a welterweight by giving Ricardo Salas a ten-round lesson at the Infosys Theater inside Madison Square Garden, New York. The former IBF super-lightweight champion won every round on all three official scorecards, with the judges returning identical totals of 100–90. There were no knockdowns and no serious dispute about the result. Hitchins advanced his unbeaten record to 21–0, with eight stoppages, while Salas dropped to 24–3–2.

Hitchins had relinquished his IBF title in April before signing with Zuffa Boxing and moving from 140 to 147 pounds. His first assignment at the new weight was not entirely decorative. Salas was ranked seventh by the IBF and eleventh by the WBO, had won six successive contests and had stopped five of his previous six opponents. The Mexican’s record also contained 18 knockouts, which offered at least the possibility of danger should Hitchins become careless. He rarely did.

From the opening bell, Hitchins established the terms of the contest with his jab. He stood at long range, moved Salas into position and repeatedly struck him before the Mexican could set his feet. Salas attempted to press forward and work to the body, but he lacked the foot speed required to close the distance cleanly. Whenever he did reach Hitchins, the Brooklyn boxer either turned away, rolled the incoming punches from his shoulders or tied him up before any sustained inside attack could develop.

It was efficient rather than thrilling. Hitchins used the jab to occupy Salas, followed it with straight right hands and occasional left hooks, then moved before the return. Salas remained willing and continued advancing, but much of his effort was spent following rather than cutting off the ring. His pressure produced movement from Hitchins without producing enough punches of consequence. The distinction mattered. Hitchins was not merely running from danger; he was controlling when the exchanges began and, more importantly, when they ended.

As the rounds accumulated, Salas’s face began to show the effects of Hitchins’s accuracy. His eyes became sufficiently damaged for the ringside physician to inspect him, although he was allowed to continue. Hitchins appeared capable of increasing the pressure and searching for a stoppage, but chose not to take unnecessary chances. His corner encouraged him to press harder during the later rounds, yet he remained committed to the same disciplined method which had already placed the decision beyond reasonable doubt.

There was a practical reason for some of that restraint. Hitchins revealed afterwards that he had carried a hand injury from training camp and aggravated the right hand after landing a clean punch during the middle rounds, around the sixth or seventh. With the contest firmly under control, he reduced the force of his right and concentrated upon completing the job behind the jab. Salas continued to pursue him, but could not take advantage of the injury or force the favourite into a prolonged exchange.

The final rounds brought no alteration in the pattern. Salas remained game, absorbed the clean punches and attempted to trap Hitchins near the ropes. Hitchins denied him the space to work, slipped away or clinched, then returned to the centre and resumed his measured attack. There was little urgency because none was required. By then, Salas needed a knockout and had shown no sign of finding the range necessary to produce one.

The three shutout scorecards accurately reflected the contest. Salas’s persistence deserved acknowledgement, but forward movement alone does not win rounds when it is met by cleaner punching, superior positioning and effective defence. Hitchins controlled the distance from beginning to end and gave Salas almost no opportunity to establish his preferred pressure fight.

It was a successful welterweight debut and a sound introduction to his new promotional surroundings. Hitchins looked physically comfortable at 147 pounds and carried his speed, timing and defensive awareness into the higher division. The performance will not satisfy those who require danger in every round, but boxing is not improved by pretending a fighter should abandon a winning method merely to provide avoidable excitement.

Hitchins later mentioned Gervonta Davis, Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney among the opponents he would like to face. Those are considerably larger occasions and would present different tactical problems. Against Salas, however, his task was straightforward: neutralise the pressure, protect the damaged hand and win clearly. He accomplished all three without losing a round.