On Saturday night, Subriel Matias extended his congratulations to Richardson Hitchins for his remarkable victory over IBF light welterweight champion Liam Paro. This victory not only marked Hitchins' ascent but also set the stage for an impending showdown. Hitchins, with a record of 19-0 and 7 knockouts, dethroned Paro, who had a record of 25-1 and 15 knockouts, winning a 12-round split decision at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Credit: Melina Pizano/Matchroom)

Style Dilemma for Hitchins

If this fight between Matias and Hitchins were to materialize, it would present a significant challenge for Hitchins. Matias, known for his unwavering determination, would not shy away from pressing the action like Paro did. He would walk down Richardson, similar to how Gustavo Lemos did, but with more powerful shots. Matias, with a record of 22-2 and 21 knockouts, is counting on Hitchins choosing to defend his newly won IBF belt against him. If he fails to secure a match against one of the big names that his promoter Eddie Hearn mentioned, Matias is likely to be the next opponent. Hearn rattled off four names that he desires for Hitchins: Teofimo Lopez, Devin Haney, Jose ‘Rayo’ Valenzuela, and Jack Catterall.If Hearn fails to convince any of these four to face Hitchins, Matias will likely step in. Currently ranked #5 by the IBF, below Jack Catterall and Arnold Barboza Jr., Matias was defeated by Paro by a 12-round unanimous decision last summer on June 15th."See You Soon"If this fight ever gets ordered, Richardson Hitchins would move up to 147 pounds. #Boxing pic.twitter.com/8XMqyoorqh— Zain (@ZainBoxing) December 8, 2024

Judge's Verdict and the Evening's Taint

Hearn did not mention Subriel Matias as a potential next opponent for Hitchins, but that does not rule out the possibility. The four fighters Hearn mentioned are not eager to face Hitchins due to his fighting style. After the fight, some of Liam's team approached Matias and questioned the scoring. Eddie Hearn, when speaking to iFL TV about Richardson Hitchins' win over Liam Paro, expressed his disbelief. He said, "When he read out 117-111, I'm thinking, 'Don't tell me someone is giving it to Liam Paro.' 117-111, you're scoring it 9-3 to Liam Paro. It's unbelievable. I said to Liam was the problem for him was between five and ten, probably eleven, they were all clear Richardson Hitchins rounds. Those rounds, he basically banked six rounds there guaranteed. You got to give him maybe 12. Maybe that went to Liam, but for me, it was 8-4 or 7-5. The right man won. It was a hell of a performance."It was a fortunate outcome for Hitchins that he was not robbed on Saturday night. The judge's score of 117-111 for Paro seemed unjust as Paro seemed to focus on minor details while ignoring Hitchins' powerful right hands from round five onwards.

Next in Line for Hitchins

"He fights Teofimo Lopez for Brooklyn. It's a unification fight. The build-up would be epic. This is a great fight," said Hearn when asked about Hitchins' next opponent. Hitchins is expected to face one of these formidable opponents next. Hearn believes that a fighter of Hitchins' quality should be competing against such names. However, attracting these fighters to face Hitchins will likely require His Excellency Turki Alalshikh to stage the fight in Riyadh. Hitchins does not possess the same level of popularity as these other fighters, so he will need to be well-compensated to entice them to take on the challenge.In conclusion, the boxing world is eagerly awaiting the next move in this saga between Subriel Matias and Richardson Hitchins. The potential matchups and the decisions that lie ahead will shape the future of both fighters.