Australian Liam Paro (25-0) makes the first defence of his IBF super-lightweight world championship against Richardson Hitchins (18-0) this Saturday LIVE on DAZN from Coliseo Roberto Clemente, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
HITCHINS: “I’M ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL TO PARO” The Brooklyn star plans to prove he’s above class and rip Australia’s World title away in Puerto Rico. Richardson Hitchins is ready to prove he’s on a ‘different level’ to Liam Paro as he closes in on his showdown for the Australian’s IBF World Junior Welterweight title at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Saturday night, live worldwide on DAZN.
Hitchins (18-0 7 KOs) is fighting for his first world title against the Australian, who defends the crown he won in Puerto Rico against 140lb bogeyman Subriel Matias in June. Paro (25-0 15 KOs) ripped the crown from the local favourite in his first World title fight, and now the hunter becomes the hunted as Hitchins looks to emulate the champion’s summer feat.
The Brooklyn ace penned a promotional deal with promoter Eddie Hearn in September 2022. Just over two years later, with four fights under his belt, the 27-year-old is the mandatory challenger for Paro and is determined to convert his hard work into landing the biggest prize at the first attempt.
“I’m on a different level,” said Hitchins. “I can say that but on Saturday I get the opportunity to get in the ring and prove it.
“I feel I am a better fighter, a better boxer. I have the better tools and am more experienced. If you look at my boxing journey from the amateurs, the Olympics, to facing ex-world champions and many young undefeated fighters, you will understand.
“Paro gained lots of experience from the Matías fight, but I feel that experience against that style will not be enough because it is a completely different to mine.
“He is a dirty fighter and he has a good left hand. He’s clever but I don’t think he’s anything I haven’t seen before.
“To be honest, I can really see me getting the KO. I know that he’s been dropped a few times, he’s been hurt a number of times but I don’t think he’s faced anyone as accurate as me. I don’t think it will be my power so much that will surprise him but my accuracy. That will be the difference in the fight.
“With the young fighters on the card and Eddie Hearn’s promotion, it will be a great night of boxing.”
Hitchin’s clash with Paro is part of a stacked night of action in San Juan, with the co-feature an all-Puerto Rican clash between Henry Lebron (19-0 10 KOs) and Christopher Diaz (29-5 19 KOs) as Lebron returns to his homeland for the first time in five years and does so in the biggest night of his career, as the #4 in the IBF looks to press his claims for World title action in 2025 with a big win over a domestic rival and pick up the vacant IBF Latino and WBO NABO titles in the process.
Diaz sits pretty at #7 in the WBA, has already tasted world title action and is hungry to do so again, and ‘Pitufo’ puts his WBA Continental Latin America title on the line in a pivotal clash for both’s immediate futures.
Puerto Rican Olympian Yankiel Rivera will take on Angel Gonzalez for the vacant WBC Silver, WBA Continental Americas and WBO Intercontinental Flyweight titles.
Rivera (6-0 2 KOs) is handily placed in the rankings at #3 with the WBA, #9 with the WBC and #11 with the WBO, and fights at home for the second time in 2024, having seen off the experienced Victor Sandoval over ten rounds in June in Manati, defending the WBA strap and adding the WBO belt.
The 27-year-old will be looking to rubber-stamp his World title credentials for a shot in 2025, but Gonzalez (14-0 7 KOs) will be out to spoil those plans in the biggest fight of his career. The 31-year-old with Puerto Rican roots landed the NABF title at 112lbs in June in Connecticut and can catapult himself into the World title mix with victory in December.
Jalil Hackett will aim to show once again that he has no fear in the infancy of his career as he travels to Puerto Rico for a title defence. Hackett (9-0 7 KOs) was impressive in a big step up to win the WBA Continental Americas Welterweight title on his Matchroom debut against Peter Dobson in July, and ‘Major’ will defend that title in another real test against Puerto Rico’s former amateur standout Jose Roman (13-1 6 KOs).
Marc Castro and Stephanie Pineiro have confirmed opponents for the night, with Castro (13-0 8 KOs) tackling Agustin Quintana (20-1-2 13 KOs) over ten rounds at Lightweight, and Pineiro (7-0 2 KOs) meeting Ogleidis Suarez (30-5-1 14 KOs) over eight rounds Welterweight.
Puerto Rico’s Juan Zayas (10-0-1 8 KOs) takes on Dominican Geraldo Valdez (16-2 11 KOs) over eight rounds at Bantamweight, and Matchroom’s Puerto Rican talent William Ortiz (6-0 4 KOs) faces fellow unbeaten Puerto Rican Lionell Colon (6-0 3 KOs) over eight rounds at Super-Lightweight.
PARO AND HITCHINS SEPARATED AT FIERY FACE-OFF
Liam Paro and Richardson Hitchins drew their literal lines in the sand as they came face-to-face on the beach in San Juan, Puerto Rico, as they closed in on their battle for Paro’s IBF World Junior Lightweight crown on Saturday night at Coliseo Roberto Clemente, live worldwide on DAZN.
Paro returns to the scene of his unforgettable victory over 140lb bogeyman Subriel Matias in June, and the Australian defends his crown for the first time against the brash Brooklynite who became his mandatory challenger with victory over Gustavo Lemos in Las Vegas in April.
The unbeaten duo has had plenty to say in the build-up, not least in a tense face-off showdown filmed in Philadelphia last month, which can be watched on Matchroom’s YouTube channel. In the blazing sunshine of the San Juan shore, the heat was well and truly turned up as the pair met for the first time in fight week.
WATCH THE FACE OFF HERE: “You Won’t Look The Same After Saturday!“ – Liam Paro & Richardson Hitchins Face Off
